By Lillian Patil & Dr. Marshall L. White With research assistance by Tim Curry, Alejandra Davila, Tanisha Pierrette, & Joanna Weiss

For years, advocates have known that fine and fee reform changes lives. Now we have the numbers to prove it. In our new report The Cost We No Longer Pay, FFJC presents a first-of-its-kind analysis of the impact of fine and fee reform efforts over the last eight years. Since 2018, we estimate that fine and fee reforms have delivered $37.5 billion in financial relief to families and communities. This is money that stays in people’s hands instead of being funneled into government coffers in ill-fated attempts to raise revenue. It’s money people can now spend to support themselves, their families, and their communities. $37.5 billion is enough to pay for a full year of groceries for roughly 3.1 million families - enough to feed every family in Los Angeles, Atlanta, San Antonio, Charlotte and Jacksonville, Florida combined.  

Over the last 10 years, 1 in 3 people have been impacted by court debt. Fines and fees don’t just cause a one-time inconvenience; they follow people for years, destabilize communities, and extract money from those who least afford it. This report shows why every policy win matters— fine and fee reform works. When we eliminate the fines and fees that burden families, we open up possibilities for people to use that money on the things that matter. These findings are a testament to years of advocacy — and a roadmap for what's possible when we keep fighting for families.