The scale of criminal debt in the United States has exploded, with local, state and federal court imposing billions of dollars in fines and fees on people in criminal cases. If the person lacks the ability to pay or does not pay the charges, even more financial penalties and legal consequences can result. The Wilson Center studies the problem of spiraling criminal debt, develops recommendations for law and policy reforms, and briefs constitutional questions concerning imposing debt on persons who lack ability to pay.
National Fines and Fees Survey
In collaboration with the Fines and Fees Justice Center, the Wilson Center conducted a nationally representative survey on individuals' experience with fines and fees. Read our report here and explore the results below or in a new window.
Selected Publications
- Debt Sentence: How Fines and Fees Hurt Working Families (2023)
- When the Dollars Don't Add Up to Sense (2023)
- Driving Injustice: Consequences and and Disparities in North Carolina Criminal Legal and Traffic Debt (2021)
- Driver’s License Suspensions in North Carolina (2020)
- The Explosion of Unpaid Criminal Fines and Fees in North Carolina (2020)