Arkansas state law authorizes courts to assess a wide variety of fees and fines to system-involved youth and their families. Many juvenile judges actively assess fees and fines, citing their role in holding youth accountable and funding underresourced, especially rural, courts. However, in practice, fees and fines are an insufficient source of revenue for courts; and, contrary to their statutorily intended rehabilitative purpose, fees and fines can increase recidivism and cause long-lasting financial and emotional harm to youth and their families.

For the past five years, organizations representing youth and families across Arkansas have mobilized alongside a bipartisan group of lawmakers to pursue a legislative fix to address the harm caused by youth fees and fines. This effort has taken place amid broader conversations in the Arkansas Legislature about the costs and benefits of imposing fees and fines across the criminal legal system.

The goal of this report is to provide decision makers with evidence of the inefficiencies and harm caused by court fees and fines practices as they consider pathways for reform. This report 1) examines current court policies and practices; 2) presents quantitative and qualitative research on the impact on youth, families, and the courts; and 3) highlights reform efforts in Arkansas and nationwide.

This report was produced by the Arkansas Coalition to End Youth Fees and Fines and published jointly by Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, Arkansas Justice Reform Coalition, Arkansas Public Policy Panel and Disability Rights Arkansas.