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 Cost We No Longer Pay: How Fines and Fees Reform Delivered Billions in Relief for Families
The Cost We No Longer Pay: How Fines and Fees Reform Delivered Billions in Relief for Families
People living paycheck-to-paycheck and communities of color are disproportionately impacted by criminal justice fines and fees. The consequences for being unable to afford to pay t…
Impact of Debt-Based License Suspension Reform on Statewide Employment
Impact of Debt-Based License Suspension Reform on Statewide Employment
Millions of drivers have had their licenses suspended for unpaid traffic, toll, misdemeanor and felony fines and fees, often impacting their ability to earn. In this study, researc…
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…
Low-Income Kansans Are Going Into Debt Because Unpaid Traffic Tickets Rack up Interest
Low-Income Kansans Are Going Into Debt Because Unpaid Traffic Tickets Rack up Interest
In Kansas, low-income individuals fall deeper into debt due to unpaid traffic tickets that accrue interest over time. When these fines remain unpaid, they are often transferred to…
Estimating Earnings Impact of Driver’s License Revocations in North Carolina
Estimating Earnings Impact of Driver’s License Revocations in North Carolina
In North Carolina, a driver’s license can be revoked for failure to pay court ordered monetary obligations and failure to appear in court. Millions of people rely on their licenses…
Predation and the Disproportionate Risk of Driver’s License Suspensions in Economically and Racially Marginalized Communities
Predation and the Disproportionate Risk of Driver’s License Suspensions in Economically and Racially Marginalized Communities
Driver’s license suspensions for non-safety reasons such as failure to appear or failure to pay exploit vulnerable groups in order to fill state and local budgets. Analyzing Depart…
Providing Labor Market Context For Debt-Related Driver’s License Suspensions In Ohio
Providing Labor Market Context For Debt-Related Driver’s License Suspensions In Ohio
Debt-related suspensions (DRS) are the most common reason for driver’s license suspension in Ohio. As the need for a valid driver’s license increases as a condition of employment a…
Penalizing the Poor: An Assessment of the Administration of Fines and Fees in Florida Misdemeanor Courts
Penalizing the Poor: An Assessment of the Administration of Fines and Fees in Florida Misdemeanor Courts
Florida courts’ fine and fee procedures punish people for being poor. In 2018, the American Bar Association (ABA) developed guidance on fairly administering court fines and…
Access to Justice Spotlight: Fines & Fees
Access to Justice Spotlight: Fines & Fees
In April 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, Office of Justice Programs, and Office for Access to Justice issued a revised Dear Colleague Letter, which de…
Eliminating Wisconsin’s Driver’s License Suspension Policy for Failure to Pay Forfeitures: A Cost-Benefit Analysis
Eliminating Wisconsin’s Driver’s License Suspension Policy for Failure to Pay Forfeitures: A Cost-Benefit Analysis
In Wisconsin, driver’s licenses are suspended for failure to pay legal financial obligations. This report highlights the negative economic ramifications of this policy, particularl…