Criminal Justice Policy Program at Harvard Law School
50-State Criminal Justice Debt Reform Builder Bringing transparency to areas of significant legal complexity.
50-State Criminal Justice Debt Reform Builder Bringing transparency to areas of significant legal complexity.
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.
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See all poverty penalty and poverty trap policy recommendations in CJPP’s Policy Guide
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- Civil judgment (3)
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- Payment plan/installment plan (3)
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Mandatory
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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.
26 Results
| State | Statute | Description/Statute Name | Statutory language | Type of poverty penalty or poverty trap | Level of offense | Mandatory | |
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Nevada | Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. §176.0635 | Administrative assessment, fine or fee for felony or gross misdemeanor: Additional costs and fees for collection. |
1. A defendant who pleads guilty or guilty but mentally ill or is found guilty or guilty but mentally ill who owes a fine, administrative assessment or fee, pursuant to NRS + See more176.0625, must be assessed by and pay to the county treasurer or other office assigned by the county to make collections the following costs and fees if the county treasurer or other office assigned by the county to make collections is successful in collecting the fine, administrative assessment or fee: (a) The costs and fees actually incurred in collecting the fine, administrative assessment or fee; and
(b) A fee payable to the county treasurer in the amount of 2 percent of the amount of the fine, administrative assessment or fee assigned to the county treasurer or other office assigned by the county to make collections.
2. The total amount of the costs and fees required to be collected pursuant to subsection 1 must not exceed 35 percent of the amount of the fine, administrative assessment or fee or $50,000, whichever is less.
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Collection fee/interest | Felony | Yes |
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Nevada | Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 176.278 | Payment of restitution from civil judgment or settlement in favor of defendant and against State, political subdivision, officer, employee or contractor. |
1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 4, if a person who is or was imprisoned in the state prison or a county or city jail or detention facility is awarded + See morea judgment against: (a) The State of Nevada, a county or a city;
(b) A department, commission, board or other agency of the State of Nevada, a county or a city; or
(c) A current or former officer, employee or contractor of the State of Nevada, a county or a city, arising from a civil action that accrued while the person was imprisoned in the state prison or county or city jail or detention facility, the person or governmental entity that pays the judgment shall deposit the money for the judgment with the court. The court shall deduct from the money received from the judgment any amount of money owed by the person for restitution and send the money to the appropriate person, governmental agency or political subdivision of a governmental agency to whom restitution is owed.
2. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 4, if a person enters into a settlement for money in an action described in subsection 1, the person or governmental entity that pays the settlement shall deposit the money for the settlement with the court in which the action was filed or the district court of the county in which the person resides if no action was filed. The court shall deduct from the money deposited with the court any amount of money owed by the person for restitution and send the money to the appropriate person, governmental agency or political subdivision of a governmental agency to whom restitution is owed.
3. If any money remains after the court makes the deduction pursuant to subsection 1 or 2, the court shall forward the remaining money to the person who initiated the action.
4. The provisions of this section do not apply to a judgment or settlement in a case that involves the death of a person who was imprisoned.
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Wage/bank account garnishment | All | Yes |
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Nevada | Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 176.305 | Judgment for imprisonment or fine and imprisonment until satisfied: Commitment and detention. |
If the judgment be imprisonment, or a fine and imprisonment until it is satisfied, the defendant must forthwith be committed to the custody of the proper officer, and detained until + See morethe judgment is complied with.
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Incarceration | All | Yes |
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Nevada | Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 209.4837(E) | Agreement for assignment and distribution of wages of offender; schedule of restitution. |
The agreement must contain a schedule of restitution payments to be made to all victims of crimes for which the offender is incarcerated and for which an amount of restitution + See morewas set pursuant to NRS 176.033. The payments may be made subject to such terms as the Director considers advisable.
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Payment plan/installment plan | All | Yes |
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Nevada | Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 209.4831 | Deduction from wages of offender for living expenses. |
The Director shall determine, with the approval of the Board, an amount to be deducted from the wages of each parolee or other offender assigned to a center to offset + See morethe cost of providing the offender with housing, transportation, meals and medical and dental services at the center.
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Wage/bank account garnishment | All | Yes |
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Alaska | Alaska Stat. Ann. § 12.55.025(f) | Sentencing Procedures |
A sentence that the defendant pay money, either as a fine or in restitution or both, constitutes a lien in the same manner as a judgment for money entered in a civil action. Nothing in this section limits the authority of the court to otherwise enforce payment of a fine or restitution.
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Property liens | All | Yes |
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Alaska | AK Const. Art. 1, § 17 | Imprisonment for Debt |
There shall be no imprisonment for debt. This section does not prohibit civil arrest of absconding debtors. |
Incarceration | All | Yes |
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Alaska | Alaska Stat. Ann. § 12.55.041(d) | Correctional Facility Surcharge |
The court shall include a surcharge imposed under (a) of this section in the judgment of conviction. The court shall include the imposition of a surcharge under (c) of this section in the order revoking probation. For a surcharge that is not paid by the person as required by this section, the state shall seek reimbursement from the person's permanent fund dividend as provided under AS 43.23.065. For purposes of collection and priority of attachment under AS 43.23.065, a surcharge imposed under this section is accounted for in the same manner as a cost of imprisonment under AS 28.35.030(k) and 28.35.032(o). The state may enforce payment of a surcharge under this section under AS 09.35 as if it were a civil judgment enforceable by execution. This subsection does not limit the authority of the court to enforce surcharges.
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Property liens | All | Yes |
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Alaska | Alaska Stat. Ann. § 12.55.045(l) | Restitution and Compensation |
An order by the court that the defendant pay restitution is a civil judgment for the amount of the restitution. An order by the court that the defendant pay restitution when the court suspends imposition of sentence under AS 12.55.085 is a civil judgment for the amount of the restitution and remains enforceable and is not discharged when a conviction is set aside under AS 12.55.085. The victim or the state on behalf of the victim may enforce the judgment through any procedure authorized by law for the enforcement of a civil judgment. If the victim enforces or collects restitution through civil process, collection costs and full reasonable attorney fees shall be awarded. If the state on the victim's behalf enforces or collects restitution through civil process, collection costs and full reasonable attorney fees shall be awarded, up to a maximum of twice the amount of restitution owing at the time the civil process was initiated. This section does not limit the authority of the court to enforce orders of restitution.
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Civil judgment | All | Yes |
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Arkansas | Ark. Code Ann. § 5-26-401(d) | Nonsupport |
A district court located in a county having a population in excess of two hundred thousand (200,000) inhabitants shall cause a warrant of arrest to be issued upon affidavit of a spouse or any person who is responsible for maintenance of a dependent child who states that nonsupport has taken place.
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Incarceration | All | Yes |
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Arkansas | Ark. Code Ann. § 5-26-414(c) | Order for Periodic Payments -- Release of Defendant on Own Recognizance |
Failure to appear is punishable by imprisonment for not less than ten (10) days nor more than ninety (90) days and shall not be suspended. |
Incarceration | All | Yes |
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Arkansas | Ark. Code Ann. § 16-98-304(b) | Cost and Fees |
(1)The drug court judge shall establish a schedule for the payment of costs and fees. . . (7) Court orders for costs and fees shall remain an obligation of the offender with court monitoring until fully paid.
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Payment plan/installment plan | All | Yes |
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Arkansas | Ark. Code Ann. § 16-98-304(b) | Cost and Fees |
(b)(1) The drug court judge shall establish a schedule for the payment of costs and fees. . . (7) Court orders for costs and fees shall remain an obligation of the offender with court monitoring until fully paid
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Condition or extension of supervision | All | Yes |
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Arkansas | Ark. Code Ann. § 5-4-204(b) | Collection After Default |
A judgment that the defendant pay a fine or costs constitutes a lien on the real property and personal property of the defendant in the same manner and to the same extent as a money judgment in a civil action.
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Property liens | All | Yes |
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Arkansas | Ark. Code Ann. § 16-92-104 | Costs and Fees -- Capital Cases |
The costs in all cases of conviction where the convict may be sentenced to suffer death, and all expenses attending the execution of the sentence, shall be adjudged and taxed by the court and paid out of the estate of the convict, and execution may be issued against the estate of the convict therefor.
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Property liens | Felony | Yes |
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Arkansas | Ark. Code Ann. § 16-92-101(a) | Costs and Fees -- Defendant's Property Bound From Time of Arrest |
The property, both real and personal, of any person charged with a criminal offense shall be bound from the time of his or her arrest or the finding of an indictment against him or her, whichever shall first happen, for the payment of all fines and costs which he or she may be adjudged to pay. However, no such lien shall be enforced unless the county judge of the county in which the judgment is rendered on the criminal charge shall file, or cause to be filed, with the circuit clerk of the county in which the person may own property, and within six (6) months after the rendition of judgment against the person, a notice of lis pendens as provided for in §§ 16-59-101 -- 16-59-105, 16-59-107, and 16-66-402 and shall cause suit to be instituted to enforce the lien within two (2) years after the date of the filing of the notice.
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Property liens | All | Yes |
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Alaska | Alaska Stat. § 28.20.270 | Suspension for Nonpayment of Judgments |
Upon receipt of a certified copy of a judgment and a certificate of facts relative to the judgment, the department shall immediately suspend the license or nonresident’s operating privilege of a person against whom the judgment is given except as otherwise provided in this chapter.
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Driver's license suspension/impoundment | Traffic | Yes |
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Alaska | Alaska Stat. § 12.55.039(c) | Surcharge |
The surcharge shall be paid within 10 days of imposition or such shorter period of time as ordered by the court. Failure to pay the surcharge is punishable as contempt of court. Proceedings to collect the surcharge may be instituted by the state, the municipality, or by the court on its own motion.
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Civil judgment | All | Yes |
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Arkansas | A.C.A. § 16-13-708 | Revocation of Registration or License |
The court may certify in writing to the Department of Finance and Administration that a debtor has failed to make satisfactory arrangements for the payment of fines and request the department to revoke, suspend, or refuse to renew the debtor's motor vehicle registration or driver's license.
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Driver's license suspension/impoundment | All | Yes |
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Missouri | Mo. Ann. Stat. § 302.341 |
Moving traffic violation, failure to prepay fine or appear in court, license suspended, procedure — reinstatement when — excessive revenue from fines to be distributed to schools — definition, state + See morehighways
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If a Missouri resident charged with a moving traffic violation of this state or any county or municipality of this state fails to dispose of the charges of which the resident is accused through authorized prepayment of fine and court costs and fails to appear on the return date or at any subsequent date to which the case has been continued, or without good cause fails to pay any fine or court costs assessed against the resident for any such violation within the period of time specified or in such installments as approved by the court or as otherwise provided by law, any court having jurisdiction over the charges shall within ten days of the failure to comply inform the defendant by ordinary mail at the last address shown on the court records that the court will order the director of revenue to suspend the defendant's driving privileges if the charges are not disposed of and fully paid within thirty days from the date of mailing. Thereafter, if the defendant fails to timely act to dispose of the charges and fully pay any applicable fines and court costs, the court shall notify the director of revenue of such failure and of the pending charges against the defendant. Upon receipt of this notification, the director shall suspend the license of the driver, effective immediately, and provide notice of the suspension to the driver at the last address for the driver shown on the records of the department of revenue. Such suspension shall remain in effect until the court with the subject pending charge requests setting aside the noncompliance suspension pending final disposition, or satisfactory evidence of disposition of pending charges and payment of fine and court costs, if applicable, is furnished to the director by the individual. The filing of financial responsibility with the bureau of safety responsibility, department of revenue, shall not be required as a condition of reinstatement of a driver's license suspended solely under the provisions of this section.
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Driver's license suspension/impoundment | Traffic | Yes |
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For more information, please visit cjpp.law.harvard.edu.