From Davis Vanguard:
Key points:
Government reliance on court fines and fees is financially unstable and unjust.
Fines and fees act as a hidden tax on the poor, disproportionately affecting low-income communities.
Researchers found a lack of transparency in tracking and reporting court fines and fees.
A new report from the Fines and Fees Justice Center warns that government reliance on court fines and fees is both unjust and financially unstable, creating lasting harm for individuals while undermining public budgets.
The report, Imposing Instability: How Court Fines and Fees Destabilize Government Budgets and Criminalize Those Who Cannot Pay, is based on two years of research across 24 states. It concludes that fines and fees are a hidden tax on the poor that fail to deliver meaningful accountability, destabilize state and local finances, and expose vulnerable communities to lifelong cycles of debt and punishment. Continue reading >>>
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