Personal Narrative: Sharon McGee
Sharon McGee was 16 years old when she was stopped by a police officer and ticketed for not completely stopping at a stop sign. At the time, McGee was working a minimum wage job and living on her own.
News
Ten Guidelines on Court Fines and Fees
The American Bar Association developed ten guidelines to ensure that fines and fees do not punish people disproportionately for their poverty.
Texas Chapter 175 Collections Improvement Program (1 TAC §175)
Starting in 2018, Texas’ Office of Court Administration (OCA) made changes to the rule that requires Texas counties and cities with a population of 100,000 or more to implement a Collection Improvement Program (CIP). The CIP webpage also includes a variety of sample language for court and program staff to use, including “Sample Payment Plan Application” and “Sample First Written Notice.”
The Cost of Justice: The Impact of Criminal Justice Financial Obligations on Individuals and Families
Monetary penalties are commonly levied by the criminal justice system. After the increase of incarceration from the tough-on-crime era starting in the 1970s, the burden of funding court operations shifted …
The Price of Justice: The High Cost of “Free” Counsel for Youth in the Juvenile Justice System
This report documents that the families of children charged with crimes are forced to pay for the cost of legal counsel in all but 10 U.S. states – despite the Constitution’s guarantee that young people who are indigent are entitled to court-appointed counsel.
Orleans Parish Juvenile Court Standing Policy on Juvenile Administrative Fees
In the summer of 2018, New Orleans became the first city in the South to abolish fees charged to youth involved in the juvenile justice system.
How Fines and Fees Criminalize Poverty: Explained
Fines and fees are levied at every stage of the criminal justice system. People who are poor and unable to pay them are criminalized and face many collateral consequences in …
Brown v. Lexington County
This case alleges that Lexington County operates a modern-day debtors’ prison pursuant to a Default Payment Policy and a Trial in Abstentia Policy.
Unequal Treatment: Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Miami-Dade Criminal Justice
This report discusses the racial and ethnic disparities that exist in the Miami-Dade County criminal justice system.
Order Authorizing Immediate Release of Defendants Arrested on Municipal Court Bench Warrants for Failure to Appear and Failure to Pay […]
In the summer of 2018, the top judge in Middlesex County, NJ ordered the release of individuals who were arrested and detained for failure to appear in municipal court over low-level offenses, like failure to pay parking tickets.