Community Discussion: The Impact of Fines & Fees

Join Representative Nekritz (57th District) and me in a community discussion of the recently released report, Findings and Recommendations for Addressing Barriers to Access to Justice and Additional Issues Associated with Fees and Other Court Costs in Civil, Criminal, and Traffic Proceedings.
 

Representative Nekritz served on the state commission, the Statutory Court Fee Task Force, that recently released the report.  The Task Force, created as part of the Access to Justice Act, has issued its findings, including legislative recommendations for addressing barriers to access to justice and additional issues associated with fees and other court costs in civil, criminal, and traffic proceedings. The report found, for example, that court fines and fees are constantly increasing and outpacing inflation. The report highlights how county authorities can add new fees and fines to fund government expenses, and, as the report’s title implies, this creates barriers to justice which penalize low-income individuals and can also contribute to a cycle of poverty and increased risk of recidivism.

Monday, January 23, 2016

6pm-7:30pm

Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center

202 S Broadway, Urbana