This first-of-its-kind analysis shows that in addition to thwarting rehabilitation and failing to improve public safety, criminal court fees and fines also fail at efficiently raising revenue. Because fees and fines are typically imposed without regard to a defendant’s ability to pay, jurisdictions have billions of dollars in unpaid court debt that will likely never be collected. This debt hangs over the heads of lower income Americans and grows every year. When failure to pay leads to jail, this perpetuates the cycle of incarceration and poverty. Go deeper with the full report and check out this Q & A with the authors.

Politicians have made false allegations of significant voter fraud with no hard evidence on too many occasions. The charges are never borne out, but the seeds of doubt linger, with negative ramifications for voting rights lasting for years. Our experts detail the most recent offenses.

It has been well documented that the presence of ICE officers in courtrooms deters victims, survivors, and witnesses from pursuing justice. Still, ICE has repeatedly rejected appeals to protect the normal functioning of the justice system. Thankfully, 2019 has seen momentum build against courthouse immigration arrests as several states have taken action.

It is dangerous to undermine the scientific basis of agency regulations, particularly when Americans’ well-being and safety are at stake. The Scientific Integrity Act will protect against such abuse, and the House and Senate should pass it without delay.

This #GivingTuesday we’re fighting voter suppression, securing our elections, and crafting innovative reforms to our justice system.Your gift will ensure the effort to restore our democracy continues — and it will go twice as far thanks to a generous $150K match! Please bookmark brennancenter.org/insidergiving.

New York City agencies are relying on algorithms, to make decisions about every major area of New Yorkers’ lives, including public housing, education, employment, child welfare, and policing. These technologies can often treat certain groups unfairly, such as communities of color, low-income residents, youth, immigrants, religious communities, communities with disabilities, and more. Join the Brennan Center, the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, and others to learn how widely used technology can hurt New Yorkers, and how residents can demand change. RSVP today!