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…
Roots of Wealth: Unearthing Black Prosperity in the South
Roots of Wealth: Unearthing Black Prosperity in the South
By imposing financial burdens, fines and fees compromise the capacity of low-income families and individuals to meet their immediate financial needs. In addition to increasing shor…
Following the Money of Mass Incarceration 2026
Following the Money of Mass Incarceration 2026
Since 2017, the United States has more than doubled its spending on mass incarceration and criminalization, despite a decline in both incarceration rates and correctional staff. Th…
State of Iowa v. Pagliai
State of Iowa v. Pagliai
Issue Holding Facts Ronald Pagliai was charged in four separate cases for shoplifting. As part of a single plea agreement to resolve the cases, Pagliai agreed to plead guilty in tw…
Ellinburg v. United States
Ellinburg v. United States
Issue Holding Background Court’s Reasoning Outcome The judgment of the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit was reversed and the case remanded for further proceeding…
States Should Reduce or Eliminate Criminal Fines and Fees, Even Amid Challenging Fiscal
States Should Reduce or Eliminate Criminal Fines and Fees, Even Amid Challenging Fiscal
In challenging fiscal landscapes, state and local governments often turn to fines and fees to fill budget shortfalls. In this report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities…
Missing in Actions: How Low Appearance Rates Impact Courts
Missing in Actions: How Low Appearance Rates Impact Courts
Missed appearances can have negative consequences for court users, as well as courts themselves. This report identifies four main ways missed court appearances impact court operati…
Honest History: How Fines and Fees Came to Harm Black Communities in Virginia
Honest History: How Fines and Fees Came to Harm Black Communities in Virginia
This article takes a look at the history of Virginia’s criminal legal system and the racist laws and policies that resulted in unfair treatment and harmful outcomes for Black Virgi…
Heavy Burdens: The Weight of Juvenile Fees and Fines in the Keystone State
Heavy Burdens: The Weight of Juvenile Fees and Fines in the Keystone State
In Pennsylvania, youth involved in the juvenile justice system courts and their families may be held financially liable for costs related to formal adjustments, summons, warrants,…
Findings from the Jefferson County Equitable Fines and Fees Project
Findings from the Jefferson County Equitable Fines and Fees Project
Alabama is a low-tax,low-service state that relies on bonds, vice taxes, court fines, and fees to fund basic services and projects. This report presents findings from a multi-metho…