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Debtor's Prison for Kids Fines and Fees in the Juvenile Justice System 

Explore the detrimental effects of fines and fees in the juvenile justice system, especially on disadvantaged youth. Understand the link between costs and racial disparities, civil and criminal consequences of nonpayment, and policy recommendations for reform. Learn how one fine can spiral into devastating outcomes for juveniles and their families.

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Debtor's Prison for Kids Fines and Fees in the Juvenile Justice System 

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  1. Debtor's Prison for KidsFines and Fees in the Juvenile Justice System  Juvenile Law Center Jessica Feierman, Senior Managing Director

  2. Juvenile Court Context Juvenile Justice System Terms Adjudication/Trial Adjudicated Delinquent/Found Guilty Disposition /Sentence

  3. Developmental Lens

  4. Racial disparities in the juvenile justice system

  5. National Research

  6. One Fine Can Be Devastating • 13-year-old with a truancy fine • “My mind was set to where I was just like forget it, I might as well just go ahead and do the time because I ain’t got no money and I know the [financial] situation my mom is in, I ain’t got no money so I might as well just go and sit it out.” • “I didn’t want [my mom] to see me the way I was looking. I didn’t want her to see her son being in the situation he was in….”

  7. Types of fees

  8. Types of Costs Imposed

  9. Mandatory Costs

  10. Impact: Consequences of Nonpayment • Civil contempt • Criminal contempt • Incarceration • Fines • License suspension • Violation of probation • Violation of informal adjustment • Civil judgment • Misdemeanor

  11. Consequences

  12. Criminology Research – Key Findings • Costs and fees associated with increased recidivism, in a multivariate analysis • The higher the fee, the greater the impact on recidivism • Youth of color more likely to have unpaid costs – therefore a link between costs and fees and racial disparities in the juvenile justice system.

  13. Policy Recommendations from Youth

  14. Reforms

  15. Reporting on juvenile justice issues Youth/Juvenile Case specifics Anonymity

  16. Contact Jessica Feierman Juvenile Law Center jfeierman@jlc.org @JessicaFeierman @juvlaw1975 #debtfreejustice Debtorsprison.jlc.org

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