Segmented Pricing For Fines and Fees
Local governments use fines and fees to discourage negative behavior and raise revenue. However, not everyone can afford to pay, leading to uncollected debt and harm to vulnerable communities. In …
Payment Plans
What Is Wrong with Monetary Sanctions? Directions for Policy, Practice, and Research
Monetary sanctions are an increasing form of punishment for criminal offenses that have generated billions of dollars in revenue while also generating massive amounts of penal debt for low-income individuals. …
Beyond Payment Plans: Breaking the Cycle of Court Debt in Tennessee
Tennessee, like many states, relies on fines and fees to fund its criminal justice system. To alleviate the adverse effects of court debt for low income residents, in 2019, the …
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 …
Bridging the Gap
When someone drives over one of the Bay Area’s toll bridges, they are charged $6 and sent an invoice. If the toll is not paid promptly, drivers are charged a …
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 …
Discounts for People Experiencing Homelessness in San Francisco
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) is offering discounts on citations and fees for people experiencing homelessness. Discounts include a one-time waiver of all open parking citations, removal of …
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 …
City of Seattle v. Long
Summary: Steven Long worked as a general tradesman and stored work tools and personal items in his truck, where he had been living since he was evicted from his apartment in …
Delaware HB 244: An act to amend the code relating to fines, fees, costs, assessments, and restitution
The Delaware legislature introduced a bill to eliminate a number of fines and fees including fines and costs in juvenile delinquency proceedings, the public defender fee, and the probation supervision …