Alternatives to Fines and Fees Archives - Page 2 of 6

The Price of Justice: Fines, Fees and the Criminalization of Poverty in the United States

Mass incarceration and the rising cost of the justice system correlate with the high number and value of fines and fees imposed throughout the justice system. As federal funding for …

Behavioral Nudges Reduce Failure to Appear for Court

In two large field studies, the authors evaluate interventions to make defendants more aware of court information. In the first, the summons was redesigned to move court information to the …

Price of Justice- Challenging the Future of Fines and Fees

This report summarizes the progress five states made in fines and fees reform, the challenges they experienced, and guidance for other jurisdictions interested in reforming their court systems.

Ohio Bench Card: Collection of Court Costs and Fines in Adult Trial Courts

This bench card provides guidance to judges regarding the imposition and collection of court costs and fines. The benchcard provides that a person may be jailed for a willful refusal …

Ohio Bench Card: Collection of Fines and Fees in Juvenile Court

The bench card provides guidance to judges on how to determine a juvenile’s ability to pay, and outlines the circumstances unique to juveniles that must be considered before punishing a …

Fines, Fees and Police Divestment: Statement and Policy Recommendations

Across the country, people are demanding that the government divest from law enforcement and invest in communities of color that have been over-policed and under-served. Any discussion of shrinking the …

The High Costs of “Justice”: A Snapshot of Juvenile Court Fines and Fees in Michigan

Through information collected from counties, advocates, community members and court involved families, the National Center for Youth Law published this brief summarizing the impact of juvenile court fines and fees …

Day Fines Systems: Lessons from Global Practice

Many European countries use day fines as an alternative to short-term incarceration. With day fines, fines are proportional to a defendant’s income, allowing for higher fines for wealthy offenders and …

Advancing Financial Justice in San Francisco: The Experience and Lessons of the City’s Financial Justice Project

This paper summarizes the lessons, successes, and challenges of the San Francisco Financial Justice Project, especially concerning criminal justice fines and fees reform.

Costs of Injustice: How Criminal System Fees Are Hurting Los Angeles County Families

This report shares the life experiences of Los Angeles County residents to illustrate how criminal justice fines and fees assessed by the County can be overly burdensome and punitive.