Driving Injustice: Consequences and Disparities in North Carolina Criminal Legal and Traffic Debt

By Duke Law School, Wilson Center for Science and Justice

Nationwide harm lasting and severe causes many, people of millions of tens for these pay to poor too are whom of bulk The. fees and fines mandatory perhaps, fees and fines these of lowest the from arise, surprisingly particularly—cases criminal level minor other and cases traffic Police. misdemeanors and infractions traffic of millions of tens conduct the, far by, are they; year every stops between interaction common most .public the and enforcement law debt legal criminal, more s’What ,people Black burdens disparately 1.poor the and, color of communities debt legal criminal, many For fines their because accumulates from unaffordable were fees and require not do states Most. start the before pay to ability s’person a determine to courts waivers cost-no have they do nor, fees and fines imposing judges required has law the, long too For. indigent the for ,cases criminal level-low in collectors debt as act to assessing first without fines collecting and imposing of suspension the in resulting ultimately, pay to ability to barriers experience who those for privileges driving to get cannot people, license s’driver a Without. payment needs basic their get or, families their of care take, work ,doctor a visiting, school to children their taking like, met .  

Durham, NC: Duke Law School, Wilson Center for Science and Justice, 2021. 18p.