The negative impacts of these costs can last a lifetime. FFJC Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director Joanna Weiss recently attended the Women’s Justice Conference, hosted by the @counciloncj.org’s Women’s Justice Commission and Jobs for the Future, to hear directly from impacted women

“It’s like trying to squeeze blood from a stone,” said FFJC’s Lillian Patil. Relying on fines and fees to fund the government is unstable, unreliable, and inefficient. Read more about this misguided approach to balancing budgets in a new article by @pewresearch.org 👉https://tinyurl.com/3pfjmwpk

Relying on fine and fee revenue for balancing budgets is bad policy. The failed deal between Chicago and Bank of America shows the volatility of public budgets dependent on revenue from court debt.

The city of Chicago’s failed attempt to sell off parking ticket debt to a private bank shows why cities cannot depend on fines and fees revenue to balance their budgets.

Driver's license suspensions for unpaid traffic fines do far more harm than good. By stripping individuals of their ability to drive to work, the system actively prevents them from earning the income necessary to resolve their court debt.

WIN FOR ILLINOIS FAMILIES: Last month, Illinois enacted a new law ensuring incarcerated people and their loved ones cannot be charged any fees that exceed the standard postage rate for mail and scanning services.

Todd Sidesinger was taken to jail for unpaid court costs and fees in February 2024. Within 48 hours, he was dead. Todd’s court debt totaled about $1,500. According to his family, Sidesinger was unaware of his outstanding debt and would’ve paid it if he’d known about it.

The harms of fines and fees hit rural communities hard; there are often fewer job opportunities, higher rates of poverty than urban areas, and higher percentages of people who need to drive to access basic needs.

“We know that if you allow people to talk to their loved ones, and to have constant communication, that we have better outcomes. And if the people of Nevada want to have a prison system that keeps them safe, they need to demand this type of investment.”

Our goal at FFJC is to break the link between money and justice. When that happens, people have the opportunity to spend their money on the things that matter to them and not on funding government functions.

Our newest report, The Cost We No Longer Pay, tallies up the amount of financial relief achieved through 73 pieces of legislation that ended or significantly reformed 135 fine and fee policies nationwide.

This week, we celebrate the passing of AZ HB2265, a landmark new bill that #EndsJusticeFees for a person’s right to a public defender, appeal, and trial by jury.

At a time when households are falling short of economic security, and 1 in 3 people over the last decade is impacted by fines & fees, creating this level of financial relief through fine & fee reform is a powerful way to ensure that families can preserve their income to afford their basic needs.

“In America, there should not be concurrently operating justice systems – one for those rich enough to pay for justice, and another for the rest of us.”

This Juneteenth, we are highlighting the ways that fines and fees disproportionately impact Black people. The over-policing of Black communities has led to the over-representation of Black people impacted by the criminal legal system.

“A debt that cannot be paid will not magically become collectible simply because it is sold to a private buyer.” FFJC’s very own Fatima Monteiro authored a powerful piece about the city of Chicago transferring legal debt to private debt collectors and its harmful impact on working families.

FFJC is proud to celebrate Vermont’s elimination of supervision fees across the DOC. Supervision fees are recurring fees charged to people on probation or parole, and can place oppressive and unfair financial strain on people working to secure housing, maintain employment, or support their families.

When 99% of parents impacted by court debt have to cut back on one essential need in order to pay fines and fees, the system is not working in the best interest of the people it’s meant to serve.

There’s a growing trend across the country: prisons are eliminating physical mail and forcing all letters and cards to be digitized. Forcing all communication, including physical mail, onto tablets will make avoiding these costly devices impossible for families.

1 in 3 Americans experience financial hardship due to court debt; fines and fees have likely impacted someone you know. While FFJC has been at the front lines of fine and fee reform for years, we aren’t in this fight alone.

Driving fines and fees reform is essential, but it isn’t the only way to end the criminalization of those who cannot afford to pay down court debt. Change must come from every corner of the system — and that includes courts. finesandfeesjusticecenter.org/our-work/cou...

“What lies ahead will require resolve and perseverance in the face of deep resistance. It will take brave people — and brave businesses — willing to use their economic power and influence to advocate for meaningful reform.”

“When you link a police agency budget to fines and fees, you are literally betting on crime and creating an overreliance on a volatile revenue source.”

💌Maintaining bonds with family and friends through letters serves as a vital emotional anchor for incarcerated people. However, many prison facilities across the country are moving to eliminate physical mail and replace it with scanned copies.

“These are just things that keep people in a mindframe that thinks: ‘I’m never going to get out of this.’” On the Everyday Injustice podcast, Oklahoma advocate for reform Tiffani Shaw outlines the financial and emotional strain of the multiple fees and costs that are imposed on people on probation.

Fine and fee reform adds up to billions in financial relief for families. Our first-of-its kind report, The Cost We No Longer Pay, calculates the financial relief as a result of the reform work of FFJC and our partners. Our partners at Americans for Prosperity agree:

2 in 5 incarcerated people have a history of mental illness—twice the national average (NAMI). Family connection via calls, videos, and mail is a vital lifeline, but high costs often block access to this essential support. #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth

“Fines and fees reform resonates across the political spectrum because it’s fundamentally about economic stability and public safety.” This month, FFJC Co-Executive Director and Co-Founder Joanna Weiss was interviewed by M. Harris & Kern, a marketing and creative agency in Chicago.

📢WE’RE HIRING! FFJC is seeking a motivated, data-driven Policy & Research Deputy Director. 👉 Ready to make an impact? Apply here: www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/44...

Over the last decade, 1 in 3 Americans has felt the direct impact of court debt. Studies show that those burdened by fines and fees often face poorer health outcomes compared to those without legal debt. The constant struggle to manage these court debts creates significant chronic and acute stress