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
The Road to Debtors’ Probation: How Criminalizing Traffic Violations Increases State Control and Inequality in Georgia
The Road to Debtors’ Probation: How Criminalizing Traffic Violations Increases State Control and Inequality in Georgia
In Georgia, nearly all traffic offenses are classified as misdemeanors, unlike most states that treat them as civil offenses. This study examines how Georgia’s practice of classify…
The Impact of Legal Debt on Perceptions of Procedural Justice, Legal Cynicism, and Legitimacy In People Sentenced to Misdemeanor Private Probation
The Impact of Legal Debt on Perceptions of Procedural Justice, Legal Cynicism, and Legitimacy In People Sentenced to Misdemeanor Private Probation
In Georgia, courts are permitted to contract with private probation companies to supervise individuals’ sentences for minor offenses or simply because they cannot pay their f…
From Barriers to Bridges: How Fines and Fees Reform Can Help Boost Economic Security
From Barriers to Bridges: How Fines and Fees Reform Can Help Boost Economic Security
In Georgia, fines and fees imposed by state and local governments in the criminal legal system are a barrier to economic security. This report by the Georgia Budget and Policy Inst…
The Public Harm Under a For-Profit Probation System: Spotlight on Augusta
The Public Harm Under a For-Profit Probation System: Spotlight on Augusta
In Georgia, traffic and minor offenses often carry fines and fees that many residents cannot afford to pay upfront, which may result in being placed on “pay-only” misdemeanor proba…
Fact Sheet: Unpacking The Latest Fines and Fees Trends Across Georgia
Fact Sheet: Unpacking The Latest Fines and Fees Trends Across Georgia
In Georgia, local governments that rely heavily on fines and fees end up criminalizing residents who struggle to pay, with the burden falling hardest on communities with high pover…
State v. Brophy
State v. Brophy
Issues 1. Is the protection provided by the Excessive Fines Clause of the Eighth Amendment applicable to the states under Timbs v. Indiana? 2. Did the lower court properly rule tha…
Factoring in Family: Considerations of Parenthood in the Assessment, Enforcement and Collection of Legal Financial Obligations
Factoring in Family: Considerations of Parenthood in the Assessment, Enforcement and Collection of Legal Financial Obligations
This study explores the relationship between monetary punishment and parenthood from the perspectives of court and community corrections professionals. The authors rely on data fro…
Regressive Revenue Perpetuates Poverty: Why Georgia’s Fines and Fees Need Immediate Reform
Regressive Revenue Perpetuates Poverty: Why Georgia’s Fines and Fees Need Immediate Reform
More than 300 localities in Georgia use revenue from fines and fees to balance their budgets, and 20 percent do so at rates researchers consider high and abusive. Georgians who can…
In Small-Town Georgia, A Broken Taillight Can Lead to Spiraling Debt
In Small-Town Georgia, A Broken Taillight Can Lead to Spiraling Debt
Georgia is one of the few states that criminalize traffic fines and allow localities to outsource misdemeanor probation supervision to private companies that are permitted to charg…
Justice by Geography: The Role of Monetary Sanctions Across Communities
Justice by Geography: The Role of Monetary Sanctions Across Communities
Although state statutes often dictate the amount of fines and fees imposed, local courts have significant discretion in how they carry out the laws and there is variation between c…