As cash-strapped localities look to increase revenue through the increased use and magnitude of fines, those unable to pay can find themselves trapped in a vicious cycle.
According to a 2015 report by the Department of Justice, 23% of all municipal revenue in Ferguson, Missouri, came from fines and fees. In Florida, the state’s Clerk of Courts Operations Corporation estimated at least $20 million in revenue came from payment of license suspension debt.
For those unable to pay a fine, an initial infraction can set off a snowball effect of fees that can mount into the thousands or result in a driver’s license suspension. This leaves people of meagre means with the choice between not driving (and therefore losing their job) and continuing to commute on a suspended license.
