Resources
Are you or your organization ready to start thinking about fee elimination reforms? The resources below include key research publications, policy guidance and media related to specific fees and fee reform more generally. Use the filters on the side bar to search by a specific type of resource within our collection. Can’t find something you’re looking for? Reach out and let us know here.
Search For More Resources Below
Assessments & Surcharges: A 50-State Survey of Supplemental Fees
Examining statutes and rules from all 50 states and D.C, this new report uncovers a system of hidden taxes that are assessed in nearly every criminal, traffic or local ordinance case.
Interim Survey Results on The Impact of New Mexico’s Fines and Fees
FFJC’s New Mexico office, in partnership with the New Mexico Advisory Board on Fines and Fees and ACLU New Mexico, administered a state-wide survey to gather data on 500+ New Mexicans’ experiences with court debt and the state’s criminal fine and fee system.
The Fines and Fees Justice Index — National Center for Access to Justice
In December 2022, The National Center for Access to Justice updated its Fines and Fees Justice Index, which gives states a rating from zero to 100 based on how they measure against 17 benchmark policies for fine and fee justice.
WEBINAR: How Can Public Defenders Fight Failure-to-Pay Warrants?
In many jurisdictions, failing to pay a fee can land someone in jail — despite clear constitutional prohibitions to the contrary. This webinar examines the constitutional implications of the ruling in Beck v. Elmore County and discusses how trial attorneys can raise these issues in defense of their clients in other states.
WEBINAR: How Lawmakers Can End Fees & Discharge Debt
Recognizing their harmful and counterproductive impact, many states have decided to end these fees and discharge their associated debt. In this panel discussion, you’ll get key strategies and insights from campaign leaders on how you can drive fee and debt reforms in your community.
The High Cost of a Fresh Start: A State by State Analysis of Court Debt as a Bar to Record Clearing
Despite efforts by states to provide a path to record clearing, monetary barriers including the cost to apply and the requirement to satisfy all outstanding debt, keep relief out of reach for many. This report examines each state’s laws to determine the extent to which court debt is a barrier for record clearing.
Local Policy Guide: Make Jail Phone Calls Free and Eliminate Commissions and Kickbacks on Commissary Items
Local jails, and the private companies they contract with, often charge incarcerated people and their families exorbitant fees and mark-ups for basic goods and services used in the jails. This policy guide can help local leaders effectively pursue reform.
The Impact of Fines, Fees, and Forfeitures on Policing
Written by Sheriff (Ret.) Currie Myers, PH.D., MBA, the paper dives into how poor financial incentives within law enforcement warp the core functions of public safety and improving community relations.
Search By: