Debt to Society: The Role of Fines & Fees Reform in Dismantling the Carceral State
The massive increase in the use of fines and fees in Tennessee over the last 40 years can be explained by the increase in the number of individuals in the …
Driver's License Suspension
Debtors’ Blocks: How Monetary Sanctions Make Between-neighborhood Racial and Economic Inequalities Worse
Poverty, inequality and the numerous disadvantages that come with legal financial obligations (LFOs) are all present in resource-deprived neighborhoods. These disadvantages are exacerbated by the isolation of poor and predominately …
A Limited Review of Warrants and Uncollected Fines and Fees
In Utah, warrants are typically not collected, but serve as a mechanism to ensure the appearance of defendants in court. Warrants reflect the outstanding fine, fee, and citation amount for …
RI opens path for former inmates to break impoverishing cycle of court fees and fines
Many Rhode Islanders are saddled with debt after incarceration, making reentering into their communities difficult. After the death of George Floyd in Minnesota, Rhode Island’s Supreme Court Committee on Racial …
FL SB 870: Driver License Suspensions
Florida Senator Shevrin Jones introduced legislation that would eliminate provisions requiring the suspension of a driver’s license for failure to pay fines and fees for a traffic infraction or criminal …
2021 Driving Injustice: Consequences and Disparities in North Carolina Legal and Traffic Debt
An increase in fines, fees, and license suspension for traffic tickets, infractions, and misdemeanors has created a vicious cycle of court debt. People who do not pay their debt within …
Cato’s Project on Poverty and Inequality in California: Final Report
California has the largest economy of any state and a gross domestic product of almost $3 trillion. However, before the pandemic, 17.2 percent of the state population lived below the …
Fines Prevent Too Many People From Voting In Florida
In 2018, Floridians approved the constitutional amendment to restore voting rights to nearly everyone with a criminal record upon completion of their sentence. 1.4 million people became eligible to vote …
Why Inequitable And Burdensome Court-Issued Fines And Fees Are A Health Issue—And What Health And Policy Leaders Can Do About It
Social determinants like court debt can negatively influence an individual’s health. Through healthcare hotspotting, the Rutgers Law School/Camden Coalition, Medical-Legal Partnership (MLP) serves individuals with various medical and legal issues …
Step One to an Antiracist State Revenue Policy: Eliminate Criminal Justice Fees and Reform Fines
Many state revenue policies are rooted in racist history and continue to worsen racial inequities and harm public safety. For example, the white supremacist group, the Redeemers, took political power …