Check Out the OJP Diagnostic Center Publication – Resource Guide: Reforming the Assessment and Enforcement of Fines and Fees

In March 2016, the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) Diagnostic Center released the publication, Resource Guide: Reforming the Assessment and Enforcement of Fines and Fees. This resource guide addresses issues related to fines, fees, and other financial obligations to build on a Department of Justice working session called, “Poverty and the Justice System: The Effect and Fairness of Fees and Fines,” and a White House companion event titled, “A Cycle of Incarceration: Prison, Debt, and Bail Practices,” both held in December 2015.

The resources identified in the guide include backgrounders, case studies, issue studies, reform guidance, and reform tools, all of which are intended to aid executive-level decision makers in using science and data to inform policy decisions and support the creation of strategies at state, local, and tribal levels. It was created with input from judges, court administrators, academics, prosecutors, legislators, advocates, and other justice system actors and national experts who came together to examine the practice of assessing and enforcing legal financial obligations, the effects on individuals and communities, and examples of how jurisdictions are addressing these issues.

To access the free resource guide, please click here.