Report of Statewide Collection of Court-Ordered Debt for 2017-18
This report profiles the collection of unpaid court-ordered fines and fees during the 2017-18 fiscal year in California.
Collection Fees and Interest
Chicago Ordinance 2018-8115: Amendment of Municipal Code Titles 1 and 9 concerning general provisions of motor vehicle recovery of debt and vehicle impoundment.
In Chicago, Alderman Gilbert Villegas has introduced legislation that would reduce the burden of traffic fines and fees for low-income Chicago residents by providing alternatives to fines and fees and improving access to payment plans.
UNDER PRESSURE: How fines and fees hurt people, undermine public safety, and drive Alabama’s racial wealth divide
This report examines in detail the collateral consequences of Alabama’s court debt system and explores the ways in which it undermines public safety and drives the state’s racial wealth divide.
Ten Guidelines on Court Fines and Fees
The American Bar Association developed ten guidelines to ensure that fines and fees do not punish people disproportionately for their poverty.
The Cost of Justice: The Impact of Criminal Justice Financial Obligations on Individuals and Families
Monetary penalties are commonly levied by the criminal justice system. After the increase of incarceration from the tough-on-crime era starting in the 1970s, the burden of funding court operations shifted …
Why journalists should cover local jails
In this article for The Poynter Institute, Al Tompkins underscores the importance of journalists covering local jails and suggests several coverage angles that journalists can use to convince readers to care more about incarceration at the local level.
WA State Courts of Limited Jurisdiction: 2018 Reference Guide on Legal Financial Obligations in Criminal Cases
This bench card is meant to educate Washington State judges about procedural protections owed to defendants who are ordered to pay fines and fees in criminal court.
Monetary Myopia: An Examination of Institutional Response to Revenue From Monetary Sanctions for Misdemeanors
This study assesses the use of fines and fees for misdemeanor crimes in Nevada and Iowa to highlight the perverse incentives embedded in the practice of using courts as revenue centers. The article proposes the concept of “monetary myopia,” or a short-sighted focus on revenue at the expense of other concerns, to explain the states’ behavior.
How Chicago Ticket Debt Sends Black Motorists Into Bankruptcy
Filing for bankruptcy to avoid car impoundments and or a boot that immobilizes their vehicle has become a popular “remedy” for Chicago drivers who can’t afford to pay off debt from traffic tickets, parking violations, and vehicle compliance infractions.
“Set up to Fail”: The Impact of Offender-Funded Private Probation on the Poor
The author conducted qualitative research to assess the effect of private probation on people under parole supervision for misdemeanor offenses in Florida, Kentucky, Missouri, and Tennessee. In some of these states, private parole officers have the authority to control critical aspects of a person’s parole terms.