Welcome to FFJC’s digital library of resources related to fines and fees, also known as the Clearinghouse. Our repository of research and tools is curated and summarized by our Policy and Research team and includes key fines and fees research, litigation, legislation, policy analysis and guidance, and case studies. Use the search features below to find the information you need to drive reform.
E.g., ‘impacts of fines and fees’
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Debt Sentence: How Fines And Fees Hurt Working Families
This report shares the results of a national survey of over 5,600 adults to see how court-imposed fines and fees affect people across the country.
Debt Sentence: How Fines And Fees Hurt Working Families
Identifying Drivers of Absconding
Identifying Drivers of Absconding
To identify the factors that drive parole and probation revocations, the Crime and Justice Institute, conducted a comprehensive assessment of community supervision policies and pra…
Unrepresented and Unseen: A Closer Look at the Harmful Impacts of Municipal Courts on Youth, Families
Unrepresented and Unseen: A Closer Look at the Harmful Impacts of Municipal Courts on Youth, Families
With over 215 municipal courts, each year thousands of Colorado youth and their families become involved in the municipal court system, often through tickets for school based offen…
“Another Place to Warehouse People”: The State Where Halfway Houses Are a Revolving Door to Prison
“Another Place to Warehouse People”: The State Where Halfway Houses Are a Revolving Door to Prison
In Colorado, about 50 percent of people return to prison within three years of release–one of the worst recidivism rates in the country. The 26 state-funded halfway houses meant to…
Why We Need to Stop Suspending and Revoking Driver’s Licenses Due to Debt
Why We Need to Stop Suspending and Revoking Driver’s Licenses Due to Debt
The Prosperity Now Scorecard rates states on their progress toward racial economic justice in several policy areas. The 2022 policy update includes an assessment of which states ha…
Colorado House Bill 21-1314
Colorado House Bill 21-1314
Colorado passed a bill repealing the authority of the Department of Revenue to cancel, renew or reinstate a driver’s license for failure to pay an outstanding monetary judgem…
Colorado HB21-1315: Concerning eliminating certain monetary amounts a juvenile in the justice system is required to pay.
Colorado HB21-1315: Concerning eliminating certain monetary amounts a juvenile in the justice system is required to pay.
Colorado recently passed a bill that eliminates a number of costs and fees that a juvenile and their families were previously required to pay. The bill also discharges all outstand…
Reckless Lawmaking: How Debt-Based Driver’s License Suspension Laws Impose Harm and Waste Resources
Reckless Lawmaking: How Debt-Based Driver’s License Suspension Laws Impose Harm and Waste Resources
This report examines the impacts of suspending driver’s licenses as a consequence of unpaid fines and fees and failure to appear in court. 16 individuals who had their license susp…
Howard v. The City and County of Denver, Colorado
Howard v. The City and County of Denver, Colorado
To be released from jail in Denver, a person must pay the bond and the bond fee. Payment of the bond alone is insufficient to secure the release.
Justice Derailed: A case study of abusive and unconstitutional practices in Colorado city courts
Justice Derailed: A case study of abusive and unconstitutional practices in Colorado city courts
This case study of municipal courts in Colorado is based on a multi-year ACLU investigation which revealed that despite a bipartisan reform effort in the state legislature, many of…
Nelson v. Colorado
Nelson v. Colorado
The question before the U.S. Supreme Court was whether the State is required to return court fines and fees paid upon conviction when the conviction is reversed on appeal. Both Pet…