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 …
Courts as Revenue Centers
U.S. Department of Justice Statement of Interest: Coleman v. Brookside, AL
On July 26, 2022, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a Statement of Interest (SOI) in the case of Coleman v. Brookside, 2:22-cv-00423-RDP, pending in the U.S. District …
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 …
Revenue Over Public Safety
Economic and financial incentives for law enforcement, state, local and federal governments, and for-profit private corporations have fueled punitive enforcement and mass incarceration. This report details economic incentives that are …
Justice by Geography: The Role of Monetary Sanctions Across Communities
Although state statutes often dictate the amount of fines and fees imposed, local courts have significant discretion in how they carry out the laws and there is variation between courts …
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 …
475,106 Mistakes: When Tickets are Issued Under False Pretenses
In Chicago, many parking restrictions change according to space, time, and weather factors, resulting in the issuance of erroneous tickets. A review of nearly 3.6 million tickets, cross-examined with administrative …
Race Representation and Revenue: Reliance on Fines and Forfeitures in City Governments
The Department of Justice’s Ferguson report suggests cities with a higher population of Black people and an overrepresentation of White people in their law enforcement agencies levy fines at higher …
Civil Assessments: The Hidden Court Fee That Penalizes Poverty
California allows courts to charge a civil assessment fee of up to $300 to people who miss a deadline to pay or appear in court. An estimated 300,000 people receive …
Spiraling Criminal Debt
North Carolina in recent decades moved to a user- fee model allowing courts to impose any number of fines and fees when a criminal case is resolved through a plea …