Traffic Fines and Fees Archives - Page 11 of 20 - Fines and Fees Justice Center

Work, Pay, or Go to Jail: Court-Ordered Community Service In Los Angeles

This report provides the findings from the first in-depth study of a large-scale court-ordered community service system in modern-day America. The authors examined the experiences of about 5,000 people who were ordered to perform community service by the Los Angeles Superior Court between 2013 and 2014.

Personal Narrative: Jean

Jean didn't know her license was suspended until an officer told her during a routine traffic stop. Her license was suspended for nonpayment of traffic tickets she received years prior. Just when she thought she had taken care of all of her court debt, her license was revoked and she faced additional issues after she relocated.

The Price of Taxation By Citation: Case Studies of Three Georgia Cities The Rely Heavily on Fines and Fees

The concept of taxation by citation and its subsequent harms are dissected and analyzed in this Institute for Justice report. Through the profiling of three Georgia cities–Morrow, Riverdale, and Clarkston–the authors use traffic and ordinance violation data to suggest that these towns’ use of code enforcement power is geared towards revenue generation rather than public safety.

Proportionate Financial Sanctions: Policy Prescriptions for Judicial Reform

In this report, the Criminal Justice Policy Program (CJPP) at Harvard Law School proposes a framework where courts would impose means-adjusted fines as a proportionate sentence for an offense. The authors assert that by adopting the proposed recommendations, courts can ease or prevent the worst harms that excessive financial sanctions create for poor people without waiting for legislative reforms.

Personal Narrative: Tracey

Despite Tracey's perfect driving record, her license was suspended for an unpaid ticket and toll violations incurred by her soon-to-be ex-husband.

Addicted to Fines: Small towns in much of the country are dangerously dependent on punitive fines and fees

This GOVERNING report presents the findings of a nationwide analysis of several jurisdictions' fine and fee revenue rates and how much of this funding source supports general budgets.

Personal Narrative: Andria

Andria is a mother raising eight children in Oklahoma City, OK. She has been struggling with court debt and drivers’ license suspensions for over a decade.

Personal Narrative: Joan

Joan is an Orlando, Florida resident whose license was suspended about six times between 2003 and 2017 for unpaid traffic tickets and court fees. Her most recent suspension from 2019 was due to lack of car insurance. Since many Florida courts do not grant payment plans, Joan has been burdened by late fees while struggling to pay her tickets to avoid having her license suspended.

Payment Plans As A Compliance Tool: Best Practices For Florida Courts

his brief describes the various ways in which payment plans are administered inconsistently across Florida’s counties. The author argues that these conflicting procedures breed confusion among people who have court debt, especially those who owe money to courts in different jurisdictions.

Personal Narrative: Janet

Janet's license was suspended after her ex-partner incurred multiple toll violations and red light camera tickets while driving her car. She has been forced to spend money using ride-share services and to depend on her sister since she she can't afford to settle her debt and bring her license back in good standing.