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
Predatory Fines and Fees: Revenue, Fiscal Contrition, and Policy Change
Predatory Fines and Fees: Revenue, Fiscal Contrition, and Policy Change
Some local jurisdictions are beginning to grapple with the social costs and individual harms associated with monetary sanctions and how they can become less reliant on them. This r…
Reducing the Harms of Court Debt: Driver’s License Revocations are an Ineffective Policy for Increasing Court Collections
Reducing the Harms of Court Debt: Driver’s License Revocations are an Ineffective Policy for Increasing Court Collections
Since 2011, Tennessee law has allowed for the revocation of a driver’s license for overdue court debt, but a temporary policy change from July 2018 to July 2021 halted driver…
The Criminalization Of Poverty In Tennessee
The Criminalization Of Poverty In Tennessee
14 percent of Tennessee’s population lives below the poverty line, and while communities faced unaffordable housing costs, unemployment, and inadequate public transportation…
Is There a Link Between Criminal Debt and Recidivism in Reentry?
Is There a Link Between Criminal Debt and Recidivism in Reentry?
To determine whether legal financial obligations (LFOs) are criminogenic, the author analyzed a multistate data set from the Urban Institute’s Returning Home Studies. The study fo…
How Tennessee Judges Look at Defendnats’ Ability to Pay Fines and Fees
How Tennessee Judges Look at Defendnats’ Ability to Pay Fines and Fees
People in Tennessee’s criminal justice system can accrue a multitude of fines and fees, but the impact depends on their ability to pay them. This report dives deeper into ability t…
Four Ways to Improve Tennessee’s Criminal Fee and Fine Data Infrastructure
Four Ways to Improve Tennessee’s Criminal Fee and Fine Data Infrastructure
Tennessee has a complex system of fees and fines, and its decentralized court structure and inconsistent reporting exacerbate difficulties in tracking its full impact. This Sycamor…
Beyond Payment Plans: Breaking the Cycle of Court Debt in Tennessee
Beyond Payment Plans: Breaking the Cycle of Court Debt in Tennessee
Tennessee, like many states, relies on fines and fees to fund its criminal justice system. To alleviate the adverse effects of court debt for low income residents, in 2019, the sta…
Debt to Society: The Role of Fines & Fees Reform in Dismantling the Carceral State
Debt to Society: The Role of Fines & Fees Reform in Dismantling the Carceral State
The massive increase in the use of fines and fees in Tennessee over the last 40 years can be explained by the increase in the number of individuals in the criminal legal system and…
Examining the Intersection Between Criminal Justice and Financial Services in the Deep South
Examining the Intersection Between Criminal Justice and Financial Services in the Deep South
The text discusses the financial burdens and barriers to financial stability faced by people after they are released from prison.
Fees, Fines and Criminal Justice In Tennessee: How It All Works and Why It Matters
Fees, Fines and Criminal Justice In Tennessee: How It All Works and Why It Matters
In Tennessee, fines and fees are used as both a punishment and a way to fund the justice system and other specific services. This report details the fines and fees people can incu…