Local Reforms Archives - Page 2 of 7 - Fines and Fees Justice Center

Turning the Page: Oklahoma’s Criminal Justice Reform Story

After being named the state with the highest incarceration rate in 2016, Oklahoma made intentional policy changes, reducing its prison population by 21 percent. This report chronicles the progress made …

OKC Municipal Court Programs Provide Real Alternatives To Incarceration

Oklahoma City has taken a holistic approach to removing barriers to progress for people in Oklahoma City that have been criminalized due to their poverty and homelessness. Through a collection …

New Florida Law Offers More Affordable Payment Plan For Court-Ordered Fees

In Florida, 70 percent of the millions of people with suspended driver’s licenses are due to unpaid fines and fees. Under a new Florida law, Floridians with outstanding court fees …

Policing-for-Profit Undermines Public Safety. This Town Shows A Better Way

Relying on tickets to fund government is counterproductive to public safety and can erode trust between community and law enforcement while worsening long-standing economic inequalities when residents can’t afford to …

Eliminating Discriminatory Fines and Fees: Learning from San Franscisco

In New York City, fines and fees provide the city with more than $2 billion in revenue each year. However, many of these fines and fees fall on lower income …

Taking on Traffic Laws: A How-To Guide for Decriminalizing Mobility

Policy, planning, and funding decisions have left primarily Black and low-income communities without safe infrastructure for biking and walking and created conditions forcing people to make choices that cities have …

Estimating the Earnings Loss Associated With a Criminal Record and Suspended Driver’s License

Contact with the criminal legal system and sanctions such as driver’s license suspensions can result in limited employment opportunities and have lifelong impacts on a person’s potential earnings. To advance …

It’s Time To Reform Washington’s Harmful System Of Fines And Fees

People with low incomes, disabilities, and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) shoulder much of the harm from the legal financial obligations (LFOs) levied in Washington’s criminal legal system. …

Inequitable Fines and Fees Hurt Vulnerable Communities. Now, Policymakers Have an Opportunity For Reform.

Before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many individuals were forced to choose between paying fines and fees or their day-to-day needs. As the pandemic further exacerbated economic insecurity, many …

Driver’s License Suspension for Unpaid Fines and Fees: The Movement for Reform

Laws that suspend, revoke, or prevent driver’s licenses and restrict driving privileges can limit individuals’ access to employment, healthcare, family, and other necessities. Debt-based (nonpayment of traffic and court-related debt) …