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Debtor's Prison for Kids Fines and Fees in the Juvenile Justice System . Juvenile Law Center Jessica Feierman, Senior Managing Director. Juvenile Court Context. Juvenile Justice System Terms Adjudication/Trial Adjudicated Delinquent/Found Guilty Disposition /Sentence. Developmental Lens.
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Debtor's Prison for KidsFines and Fees in the Juvenile Justice System Juvenile Law Center Jessica Feierman, Senior Managing Director
Juvenile Court Context Juvenile Justice System Terms Adjudication/Trial Adjudicated Delinquent/Found Guilty Disposition /Sentence
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….”
Impact: Consequences of Nonpayment • Civil contempt • Criminal contempt • Incarceration • Fines • License suspension • Violation of probation • Violation of informal adjustment • Civil judgment • Misdemeanor
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.
Reporting on juvenile justice issues Youth/Juvenile Case specifics Anonymity
Contact Jessica Feierman Juvenile Law Center jfeierman@jlc.org @JessicaFeierman @juvlaw1975 #debtfreejustice Debtorsprison.jlc.org