Money and Punishment, Circa 2020
In conjunction with the 23rd Annual Liman Colloquium held in the Fall of 2020, the Arthur Liman Center for Public Interest Law at Yale Law School, the Fines and Fees …
Traffic Fines and Fees
The Price of Justice: Fines, Fees and the Criminalization of Poverty in the United States
Mass incarceration and the rising cost of the justice system correlate with the high number and value of fines and fees imposed throughout the justice system. As federal funding for …
Who Does America Want?
This paper details the fines and fees imposed on people for traffic offenses in Connecticut, South Carolina, Florida, and Georgia, and immigration-related fees imposed on people seeking citizenship in the US.
New York’s Ferguson Problem- How the state’s racist fee system punishes poverty, lacks transparency, and is overdue for reform
This paper shows how New York’s criminal justice fines and fees practices worsen racial disparities and punish low-income people.
Hawaii SB2630: Relating to Monetary Obligations
This bill eliminates provisions restricting a person’s ability to obtain or renew a driver’s license, registration, or title due to the nonpayment of traffic fines and fees. Previously, Hawaii did …
Amendment of Chicago Municipal Code Titles 2, 3, 4, 7,8,9,10,11,15 at various sections relating to or impacting vehicle impoundment
This ordinance ends the practice of impoundment for many non-driving and non-public safety related offenses including possession of fireworks, possessing spray paint, or loud music. When impoundment is a sanction, …
Oregon House Bill 4210: An act relating to driving privileges
This bill ends Oregon’s practice of suspending driver licenses for nonpayment of traffic tickets. The provisions of this bill are effective beginning October 1, 2020. You can read the full …
Day Fines Systems: Lessons from Global Practice
Many European countries use day fines as an alternative to short-term incarceration. With day fines, fines are proportional to a defendant’s income, allowing for higher fines for wealthy offenders and …
Advancing Financial Justice in San Francisco: The Experience and Lessons of the City’s Financial Justice Project
This paper summarizes the lessons, successes, and challenges of the San Francisco Financial Justice Project, especially concerning criminal justice fines and fees reform.
Salience, Incentives, and Timely Compliance: Evidence from Speeding Tickets
As monetary sanctions in law enforcement have become increasingly more prevalent and their budgetary significance non-trivial, little is known about why certain behavioral interventions increase compliance in some contexts but …