Alabama Takes From the Poor and Gives to the Rich
To raise taxes in Alabama, cities and counties must go through the state legislature to initiate a constitutional amendment allowing them to pass a law to raise property or income …
Collateral Consequences
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 charge fees. This article …
The Costs of the Punishment Clause
The Punishment Clause in the Thirteenth Amendment, permits involuntary servitude so long as it is imposed pursuant to a criminal punishment. Originating as Black codes and convict leasing, these practices have …
Reimagining Restitution: New Approaches to Support Youth and Communities
Courts began ordering youth restitution in the 1960s as a less restrictive sanction than probation or incarceration for mostly white youth. Since then, restitution has been linked to higher recidivism …
At What Cost? Findings from an Examination into the Imposition of Public Defense System Fees
In the United States, there is a constitutional right to counsel for defendants who cannot afford a private attorney when facing a charge where, if convicted, they may lose their …
Dual Debtors: Child Support and Criminal Financial Legal Obligations
Using interviews and administrative data to link individuals owing both child support and criminal monetary sanctions in Minnesota, the authors highlight the experiences, perspectives, and behavioral strategies of people who …
A Debt of Care: Commercial Bail and the Gendered Logic of Criminal Justice Predation
Commercial bail extracts millions of dollars from justice-involved individuals and their families every year, but little research exists on the inner working and operational processes of the bail industry. Associate …
Small Fines And Fees, Large Impacts: Ability-To-Pay Hearings
Excessive fines and fees on low-income people threaten our criminal justice system and violate the Constitution’s Due Process and Excessive Fines Clauses. The Fourteenth and Eighth amendment requires courts to …
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, counties used public funds to expand jails. From …
North Carolina Court Appearance Project
In North Carolina, nonappearance for a court case can lead to driver’s license suspension, an order for arrest, and jail time. Nearly 250,000 court appearances are missed annually in North …