Poverty Penalties and Poverty Traps

Keyword search across all of the laws in the states. Subject-area tabs above allow you to narrow results. Click the advanced search for further refinement.

Every law can be saved to the Reform Builder  

See all poverty penalty and poverty trap policy recommendations in CJPP’s Policy Guide

Below are the poverty penalties and poverty traps that meet your search criteria. Many include a See related provisions prompt which searches our database for laws that may pertain to your result.

11 Results

Export results to Excel

State Statute Description/Statute Name Statutory language Type of poverty penalty or poverty trap Level of offense Mandatory
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

Alabama Ala.Code 1975 § 15-18-62 Costs and Fines: willful nonpayment by defendant

In cases of willful nonpayment of the fine and costs, the defendant shall either be imprisoned in the county jail or, at the discretion of the court, sentenced to hard

+ See more
labor for the county as follows:(1) If the fine and costs do not exceed two hundred fifty dollars ($250), no more than 10 days; (2) If the fine and costs exceed two hundred fifty dollars ($250) but do not exceed five hundred dollars ($500), no more than 20 days; (3) If the fine and costs exceed five hundred dollars ($500), but do not exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000), no more than 30 days; and (4) For every additional one hundred dollars ($100) or fractional part thereof, 4 days.

Incarceration All Yes
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

Alabama Ala.Code 1975 § 12-23-7 Drug testing program

Any person who fails to complete treatment and pay for it shall be charged with violation of probation or parole

Condition or extension of supervision All Yes
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

Alabama Ala.Code 1975 § 12-19-311(c) Additional fees on bail bond

Upon the failure to pay the fee in paragraph a. of subdivision (1) of subsection (a) and upon a finding of contempt in subsection (d), the bondsman, surety, guaranty, or

+ See more
individuals required to pay the fee shall be punished by a fine of not less than five hundred dollars ($500) in addition to the fee imposed in paragraph a. of subdivision (1) of subsection (a). The fine shall not be remitted, waived, or reduced unless the person(s) fined can show cause to the court that he or she cannot pay the fine in the reasonably foreseeable future. I

Increased fine All Yes
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

North Dakota N.D. Cent. Code § 29-27-03 Judgment for imprisonment or as response to nonpayment of fine
If a judgment is for imprisonment, initially or as response to nonpayment of a fine in accordance with section 12.1-32-05, the defendant forthwith must be committed to the custody of
+ See more
the proper officer and be detained by that officer until the judgment is complied with.
Incarceration All Yes
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

North Dakota N.D. Cent. Code § 12.1-32-08(1) Hearing prior to ordering restitution, reparation, or reimbursement of indigent defense costs and expenses--Conditions--Collection of restitution for insufficient funds checks--Continuing appropriation
An order that a defendant make restitution or reparation as a sentence or condition of probation may, unless the court directs otherwise, be filed, transcribed, and enforced by the person
+ See more
entitled to the restitution or reparation or by the division of adult services in the same manner as civil judgments rendered by the courts of this state may be enforced.
Other All Yes
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

North Dakota N.D. Cent. Code § 12.1-32-08(2) Hearing prior to ordering restitution, reparation, or reimbursement of indigent defense costs and expenses--Conditions--Collection of restitution for insufficient funds checks--Continuing appropriation
When the restitution ordered by the court under subsection 1 is the result of a finding that the defendant issued a check or draft without sufficient funds or without an
+ See more
account, the court shall impose as costs the greater of the sum of ten dollars or an amount equal to twenty-five percent of the amount of restitution ordered. The costs imposed under this subsection, however, may not exceed one thousand dollars. The state-employed clerks of district court shall remit the funds collected as costs under this subsection to the state treasurer for deposit in the restitution collection assistance fund. The funds deposited into the restitution collection assistance fund are appropriated to the judicial branch on a continuing basis for the purpose of defraying expenses incident to the collection of restitution, including operating expenses and the compensation of additional necessary personnel. The state's attorneys and county-employed clerks of district court shall remit the funds collected as costs under this subsection to the county treasurer to be deposited in the county general fund.
Increased fine All Yes
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

North Dakota N.D. Cent. Code § 29-07-01.1 Payment of expenses for defense of indigents--Reimbursement of indigent defense costs and expenses--Indigent defense administration fund--Continuing appropriation If the application fee is not paid before disposition of the case, the fee amount must be added to the amount to be reimbursed under this section. Increased fine All Yes
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

Pennsylvania Pa. R. Crim. P. 142 Procedures Governing Defaults in Payment of Fine Imposed as Punishment for Contempt; if found able to pay
(A) If a contemnor defaults on the payment of a fine imposed as punishment for contempt pursuant to Rule 140(A)(1) and (B)(3), the issuing authority shall notify the contemnor in
+ See more
person or by first class mail that within 10 days of the date on the default notice the contemnor must either: (1) pay the amount due as ordered, or (2) appear before the issuing authority to explain why the contemnor should not be imprisoned for nonpayment as provided by law, or a bench warrant for the contemnor's arrest shall be issued. (B) When the contemnor appears either in response to the paragraph (A)(2) notice or following an arrest with a warrant issued pursuant to paragraph (A), the issuing authority shall conduct a hearing to determine whether the contemnor is financially able to pay as ordered. (1) Upon a determination that the defendant is financially able to pay as ordered, the issuing authority may impose imprisonment for nonpayment, as provided by law. (2) Upon a determination that the contemnor is financially unable to pay as ordered, the issuing authority may order a schedule for installment payments. (C) A contemnor may appeal an issuing authority's determination pursuant to this rule by filing a notice of appeal within 30 days of the issuing authority's order. The appeal shall proceed as provided in Rule 141.
Incarceration All Yes
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

Pennsylvania Pa. R. Crim. P. 142 Procedures Governing Defaults in Payment of Fine Imposed as Punishment for Contempt; if found unable to pay
(A) If a contemnor defaults on the payment of a fine imposed as punishment for contempt pursuant to Rule 140(A)(1) and (B)(3), the issuing authority shall notify the contemnor in
+ See more
person or by first class mail that within 10 days of the date on the default notice the contemnor must either: (1) pay the amount due as ordered, or (2) appear before the issuing authority to explain why the contemnor should not be imprisoned for nonpayment as provided by law, or a bench warrant for the contemnor's arrest shall be issued. (B) When the contemnor appears either in response to the paragraph (A)(2) notice or following an arrest with a warrant issued pursuant to paragraph (A), the issuing authority shall conduct a hearing to determine whether the contemnor is financially able to pay as ordered. (1) Upon a determination that the defendant is financially able to pay as ordered, the issuing authority may impose imprisonment for nonpayment, as provided by law. (2) Upon a determination that the contemnor is financially unable to pay as ordered, the issuing authority may order a schedule for installment payments. (C) A contemnor may appeal an issuing authority's determination pursuant to this rule by filing a notice of appeal within 30 days of the issuing authority's order. The appeal shall proceed as provided in Rule 141.
Payment plan/installment plan All Yes
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

Pennsylvania Pa. R. Crim. P. 430(B)(4) Failure to respond to traffic citation
(4) that failure to respond to the citation as provided above within the time specified: (a) shall result in the issuance of
+ See more
a summons when a violation of an ordinance or any parking offense is charged, or when the defendant is under 18 years of age, and in all other cases shall result in the issuance of a warrant for the arrest of the defendant; and (b) shall result in the suspension of the defendant’s driver’s license when a violation of the Vehicle Code is charged;
Driver's license suspension/impoundment Traffic Yes
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

Pennsylvania 75 Pa. Stat. Ann. § 1541 Period of disqualification, revocation or suspension of operating privilege
Continued suspension of operating privilege.--A defendant ordered by the court under section 3816 (relating to requirements for driving under influence offenders), as the result of a conviction or Accelerated Rehabilitative
+ See more
Disposition of a violation of section 3802 to attend a treatment program for alcohol or drug addiction must successfully complete all requirements of the treatment program ordered by the court before the defendant's operating privilege may be restored. Successful completion of a treatment program includes the payment of all court-imposed fines and costs, as well as fees to be paid to the treatment program by the defendant. For the purposes of restoring a suspended license, being current on a payment plan shall be considered as a part of a successfully completed program. If a defendant fails to successfully complete the requirements of a treatment program, the suspension shall remain in effect until the defendant completes the program and is otherwise eligible for restoration of his operating privilege. The treatment agency shall immediately notify the court of successful completion of the treatment program. The final decision as to whether a defendant has successfully completed the treatment program rests with the court.
Driver's license suspension/impoundment Traffic Yes