Florida Can’t Bar People From Voting Because of Inability to Pay, Appeals Court Says
The court found that a law that critics described as a poll tax violates the Constitution.
Kira Lerner Feb 19, 2020
Michigan Task Force Calls On State To Significantly Reduce Mass Incarceration In County Jails
A bipartisan group has recommended substantive changes to the state’s legal justice system, including cash bail reform and proposals to divert people living with mental illnesses away from incarceration.
Dawn R. Wolfe Feb 03, 2020
When Jail Time Comes With A Bill
Vaidya Gullapalli Jan 27, 2020
New York State Judges Are Jailing People Who Can’t Afford Their Fines
State law must change to stop judges from using jail time to force the poor into paying penalties they can’t afford, says one advocacy group.
Steven Yoder Oct 28, 2019
Thousands of New Yorkers Face Arrest Each Year For Not Paying Fines and Fees, Report Finds
The city comptroller, state lawmakers, and advocates call on the state to end its use of fines and fees in the legal system.
Raven Rakia Sep 11, 2019
Miami Officials: Most People Who Owe Fines and Fees Can Vote
Lawyers and advocates in Miami-Dade County will roll out a new plan to counter the disenfranchisement of people with felony convictions.
In Oklahoma, Private Companies Run Pretrial Services, Driving People Into Debt
A company in Cleveland County exemplifies how for-profit legal services affect poor and vulnerable individuals.
Kira Lerner Jun 26, 2019
Instagram Photos Offer Glimpse Inside Notorious Georgia Jail
The DeKalb County Jail, now at the center of protests, has a long history of problems and a legacy of housing people for unpaid fines.
Raven Rakia May 21, 2019
Iowa Moves Toward Expanding Voting Rights. But It May Require a ‘Modern Day Poll Tax.’
Lawmakers are debating whether to let people with felony convictions vote—but there could be a catch.
Kira Lerner Feb 07, 2019
Justice in America Episode 12: The Criminalization of Poverty
Josie and Clint talk with Sara Totonchi, the Executive Director of the Southern Center for Human Rights.
St. Louis County Is Profiting Off the ‘Muni Shuffle’ Long After Ferguson Protests
A new proposal to abolish small police forces seeks to end the cycle of debt and incarceration.
Teresa Mathew Jan 18, 2019
How Alabama’s Fines and Fees System Preys On The Poor
Terrance has been jailed repeatedly over court debt for fishing to feed his family.
Maura Ewing Nov 01, 2018
Pennsylvania Prosecutors Pursue Charges For People Who Fall Behind On Rent-To-Own Payments
The state’s “theft of leased property” statute allows prosecutors to seek felony charges for Pennsylvanians who miss payments on rental items.
Joshua Vaughn Sep 05, 2018
In Pennsylvania, Defendants Pay A Fee Just To Plead Guilty
The ‘plea fee’ stems from a state law passed in the 1980s and can cost nearly $200, depending on the county.
Joshua Vaughn Aug 29, 2018
New Orleans Court Ordered To Stop Funding Itself On The Backs Of The Poor
The criminal court was funneling millions of dollars a year from poor communities.
Bryce Covert Aug 13, 2018
Philadelphia Courts are Running a Financial Scheme That Profits Off The Poor
And padding city and state coffers with millions of dollars.
Maura Ewing Aug 03, 2018
Pretrial Detainees Are Being Billed For Their Stay in Jail
In jurisdictions across the country, people incarcerated before they've ever been convicted of a crime are charged a daily fee just for sitting in jail—and several courts have ruled that the practice is legal.
Steven Hale Jul 20, 2018
The Only Winners In California’s Fines and Fees System Are Private Debt Collectors
San Francisco just became the first city in the nation to stop charging court fines and fees, but the rest of the state has a long way to go.
Teresa Mathew Jul 02, 2018