The combined bill proposes to finance the civil incarceration program through fees attached to petitions filed in Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court.
This series aims to shine light on the activists, lawmakers and community members working to end a vicious cycle of poverty and incarceration perpetuated by Fees and Fines.
Debts carried over from life before prison, legal fees during incarceration, and the need to find a new job after release can all make it hard to get back on track.
The study, which profiled more than 300 family members impacted by incarceration, shows how court fees, visitation expenses and the cost of basic necessities like food all contribute to a steep decline in the well-being of families trying to support loved ones.
Although Oklahoma law stipulates that "work release placement is not a voluntary program," participants are entitled to any wages that might be left from their jobs at fast-food shops and thrift stores after fines, fees, taxes, and incarceration costs are subtracted.
In Alameda County, California, which includes Oakland, for instance, the board of supervisors recently unanimously voted to put a moratorium on all fees for probation and incarceration of juvenile offenders.
But the system of imprisoning the poor for their failure to pay legal fees persists, feeding the glutted incarceration system.
This past spring, the Vera Institute of Justice launched a new initiative that will examine how fines and fees lead to an "overreliance on local incarceration that exacts significant unnecessary costs on individuals".
These court fees, if unpaid, can become grounds for incarceration.
