Understanding Criminal Justice Debt

This publication from the Fortune Society, written in conjunction with researchers at the City University of New York—John Jay College of Criminal Justice, presents research on fines, restitution, and other charges associated with criminal justice involvement. The publication describes the impact of these fees on individual lives and explores the role monetary charges play in community reentry, as well as the impact of criminal justice debt on familial relationships. The paper seeks to understand the personal realities of having criminal justice debt in order to facilitate sound policy in this domain.