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.

64 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

New Mexico N.M. Stat. Ann. § 31-12-3(A),(C) Paying fines, fees or costs in installments; community service option

A. Any person sentenced to pay a fine or to pay fees and costs in any criminal proceeding against him, either in addition to or without a term of imprisonment,

+ See more
may in the discretion of the court be allowed to pay such fine, fees or costs in installments of such amounts, at such times and upon such conditions as the court may fix. The defendant may also be required to serve a period of time in labor to be known as “community service” in lieu of all or part of the fine. If unable to pay the fees or costs, he may be granted permission to perform community service in lieu of them as well. The labor shall be meaningful, shall not be suspended or deferred and shall be of a type that benefits the public at large or any public, charitable or educational entity or institution and is consistent with Article 9, Section 14 of the constitution of New Mexico. Any person performing community service pursuant to court order shall be immune from civil liability arising out of the community service other than for gross negligence, shall not be entitled to wages or considered an employee for any purpose and shall not be entitled to workers’ compensation, unemployment or any other benefits otherwise provided by law. Instead, a person who performs community service shall receive credit toward the fine, fees or costs at the rate of the prevailing federal hourly minimum wage. Unless otherwise provided, however, the total fine, fees and costs shall be payable forthwith.

C. When a defendant sentenced to pay a fine in installments or ordered to pay fees or costs defaults in payment, the court, upon motion of the prosecutor or upon its own motion, may require the defendant to show cause why his default should not be treated as contumacious and may issue a summons or a warrant of arrest for his appearance. It shall be a defense that the defendant did not willfully refuse to obey the order of the court or that he made a good faith effort to obtain the funds required for the payment. If the defendant’s default was contumacious, the court may order him committed until the fine or a specified part of it or the fees or costs are paid. The maximum term of imprisonment for such contumacious nonpayment shall be specified in the order of commitment.

 

Community service, Incarceration, Payment plan/installment plan All No
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

New Mexico N.M. Stat. Ann. § 31-17-1(D) Restitution Lien

An order requiring an offender to pay restitution, validly entered pursuant to this section, constitutes a judgment and lien against all property of a defendant for the amount the defendant

+ See more
is obligated to pay under the order and may be recorded in any office for the filing of liens against real or personal property, or for garnishment. A judgment of restitution may be enforced by the state, a victim entitled under the order to receive restitution, a deceased victim's estate or any other beneficiary of the judgment in the same manner as a civil judgment. An order of restitution is enforceable, if valid, pursuant to this section, the Victims of Crime Act or Article 2, Section 24 of the constitution of New Mexico. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the ability of a victim to pursue full civil legal remedies.

Civil judgment, Property liens All Yes
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

New Mexico N.M. Stat. Ann. § 67-7-11 Obstructions and Injuries to Highways: Arrest for violation; seizure of vehicle; fee

Sheriffs, deputy sheriffs, constables, marshals, police officers and all peace officers shall have power to arrest any person violating any provision of this act on view or upon warrant issued

+ See more
by any justice of the peace [magistrate court] or magistrate. Such officers are also authorized and directed to take into custody any vehicle involved in the violation of any provision of this act and hold the same until all fees, fines, costs and damages therefor shall be paid; provided that the owner or person in control of such vehicle may secure its release by furnishing a good and sufficient bond as required by the officer or magistrate before whom the case is prosecuted. The fee for making the arrest of any person violating any provision of this act shall upon conviction of the person or persons arrested be assessed as part of the costs and paid to the officer making such arrest, but shall not exceed one ($1.00) dollar in any case.

Incarceration All No
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

New Mexico N.M. Stat. Ann. § 66-5-30(B)(2) Authority of division to suspend or revoke license. [Effective October 1, 2019]

B. The division may issue an administrative suspension of the instruction permit, driver’s license or provisional license of a driver without preliminary hearing upon a showing by its records or other

+ See more
sufficient evidence, including information provided to the state pursuant to an intergovernmental agreement authorized by Section 66-5-27.1 NMSA 1978, that the licensee has failed to:

(2) pay a penalty assessment within thirty days of the date of issuance by the state or a tribe.

Driver's license suspension/impoundment All No
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

New Mexico N.M. Stat. Ann. § 31-12-3(B) Paying fines, fees or costs in installments; community service option

The court may at any time revise, modify, reduce or enlarge the amount of the installment or the time and conditions fixed for payment of it.

Payment plan/installment plan All No
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

New Mexico N.M. Stat. Ann. § § 31-18-15(C) Sentencing authority; noncapital felonies; basic sentences and fines; parole authority; meritorious deductions

A period of parole shall be imposed only for felony convictions wherein a person is sentenced to imprisonment of more than one year, unless the parties to a proceeding agree

+ See more
that a period of parole should be imposed. If a period of parole is imposed, the court shall include in the judgment and sentence of each person convicted and sentenced to imprisonment in a corrections facility designated by the corrections department authority for a period of parole to be served in accordance with the provisions of Section 31-21-10 NMSA 1978 after the completion of any actual time of imprisonment and authority to require, as a condition of parole, the payment of the costs of parole services and reimbursement to a law enforcement agency or local crime stopper program in accordance with the provisions of that section. 

Condition or extension of supervision All No
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

New Mexico N.M. Stat. Ann. § 31-17-1(B),(H) Victim restituion

B. If the trial court exercises either of the sentencing options under Section 31-20-6 NMSA 1978, the court shall require as a condition of probation or parole that the defendant,

+ See more
in cooperation with the probation or parole officer assigned to the defendant, promptly prepare a plan of restitution, including a specific amount of restitution to each victim and a schedule of restitution payments.
H. Failure of the defendant to comply with Subsection B of this section or to comply with the plan of restitution as approved or modified by the court may constitute a violation of the conditions of probation or parole. Without limitation, the court may modify the plan of restitution or extend the period of time for restitution, but not beyond the maximum probation or parole period specified in Section 31-21-10 NMSA 1978.

Condition or extension of supervision, Incarceration All No
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

New Mexico N.M. Stat. Ann. § 31-17-1 Victim restitution

An order requiring an offender to pay restitution, validly entered pursuant to this section, constitutes a judgment and lien against all property of a defendant for the amount the defendant

+ See more
is obligated to pay under the order and may be recorded in any office for the filing of liens against real or personal property, or for garnishment. A judgment of restitution may be enforced by the state, a victim entitled under the order to receive restitution, a deceased victim's estate or any other beneficiary of the judgment in the same manner as a civil judgment. An order of restitution is enforceable, if valid, pursuant to this section, the Victims of Crime Act or Article 2, Section 24 of the constitution of New Mexico. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the ability of a victim to pursue full civil legal remedies.

Property liens All No
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

New Mexico N.M. Stat. Ann. § 31-20-5.1 Misdemeanor compliance programs; counties may establish; fees

As a condition of probation, the district or magistrate court may require the defendant to pay a fee of not less than fifteen dollars ($15.00) nor more than fifty dollars

+ See more
($50.00) per month to the county for a public probation program for the term of the defendant's probation. Money collected by the county pursuant to this subsection shall be used only to operate the misdemeanor compliance program.

Condition or extension of supervision All No
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

New Mexico N.M. Stat. Ann. § 31-21-10(G)(1) Parole authority and procedure

G. Pursuant to the provisions of Section 31-18-15 NMSA 1978, the board shall require the inmate as a condition of parole:
(1) to pay the actual costs of parole services

+ See more
to the adult probation and parole division of the corrections department for deposit to the corrections department intensive supervision fund not exceeding one thousand eight hundred dollars ($1,800) annually to be paid in monthly installments of not less than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) and not more than one hundred fifty dollars ($150), as set by the appropriate district supervisor of the adult probation and parole division, based upon the financial circumstances of the defendant. The defendant's payment of the supervised parole costs shall not be waived unless the board holds an evidentiary hearing and finds that the defendant is unable to pay the costs. If the board waives the defendant's payment of the supervised parole costs and the defendant's financial circumstances subsequently change so that the defendant is able to pay the costs, the appropriate district supervisor of the adult probation and parole division shall advise the board and the board shall hold an evidentiary hearing to determine whether the waiver should be rescinded; and

Condition or extension of supervision All No
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

New Mexico N.M. Stat. Ann. § 33-2-40 Imprisonment for nonpayment of fine or costs attached to prison sentence; maximum

All convicts sentenced to the state penitentiary who have a fine or costs or both attached to such sentence shall not be required to serve more than thirty days for

+ See more
such fine or costs.

Incarceration All No
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

New Mexico N.M. Stat. Ann. § 33-3-11 Jail for nonpayment of fine

A. Whenever any person is committed to jail for nonpayment of any fine or costs or both, he shall be credited with eight times the federal hourly minimum wage a

+ See more
day in reduction thereof for each day or portion of a day of incarceration. When the person has remained incarcerated a sufficient length of time to extinguish the fine or cost or both, computed at this rate, or has paid to the sentencing court the amount of the fine or costs or both, remaining after deducting credit allowed by this section and obtaining from the court an order of release from commitment, the officer having the prisoner in custody shall discharge him from custody under commitment.
B. If the person in custody makes an affidavit that he has no property out of which he can pay the fine and costs, either or any part, the prisoner shall not be retained in custody longer than sixty days even though the fine and costs or either exceeds the amount credited toward repayment during those sixty days. The affidavit shall be delivered to the sheriff or jail administrator as defined in Section 4-44-19 NMSA 1978 having custody of the prisoner.

Incarceration All No
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

New Mexico N.M. Stat. Ann. § 35-6-7 Magistrate court; drug court fee; monthly remittances

A. A magistrate court that has an adult drug court program may assess and collect from participants a “drug court fee” of fifty dollars ($50.00) a month. Program fee requirements

+ See more
may be satisfied by community service at the federal minimum wage. Proceeds from the drug court fee shall be deposited in the magistrate drug court fund.

Community service All No
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

New Hampshire N.H. Rev. Stat. § 604-A:9(I) Repayment

The state may collect from the defendant a service charge of up to 10 percent of the total amount of fees and expenses owed by such defendant.

Collection fee/interest All No
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

New Hampshire N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 631:2-b Domestic Violence

In addition to any other penalty authorized by law, the court shall levy a fine of $50 for each conviction under this section. If the court determines that the defendant

+ See more
is unable to pay the fine on the date imposed, the court may defer payment or order periodic payments thereof. Fines imposed under this section shall not be subject to an additional penalty assessment. The clerk shall forward all fines collected under this paragraph to the department of health and human services for the purposes of RSA 173-B:15.

Payment plan/installment plan All Yes
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

New Hampshire N.H. Rev. Stat. § 504-A:13(I) Supervision and Service Charges

The court shall establish a supervision fee for probationers, and the parole board shall establish a supervision fee for parolees. The fee shall not be less than $40 a month,

+ See more
unless waived in whole or in part by the court, board or commissioner, and may be any greater amount as established by the court or board. This fee shall be considered a condition of release, and failure to satisfy this obligation shall be grounds for a violation hearing, unless the probationer or parolee has been found to be indigent and, for that reason, unable to pay the fee. Service charges for collection of fines and fees, other than supervision fees, shall be established at 10 percent of the funds collected.

Collection fee/interest, Condition or extension of supervision All Yes
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

New Hampshire N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 490:26-a(II-a) Court Fees and Fines; Credit Card Payments

The supreme court may establish by rule an equitable fee of not less than $25 to be added to a fine whenever a court extends the time for the payment

+ See more
of the fine. An equitable fee assessed by a court under this paragraph shall be paid prior to or simultaneously with the payment of the fine.

Collection fee/interest All No
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

New Hampshire N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 618:7 Execution

A writ of execution may be issued for any fine in a criminal case, notwithstanding the respondent may be committed or detained in a county correctional facility for nonpayment thereof,

+ See more
and if the fine is collected upon the execution, the convict shall not be further detained on account thereof.

Incarceration All No
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

New Hampshire N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 618:6 Place of Committal

Any person sentenced to pay a fine shall be ordered to be imprisoned until sentence is performed, or he or she is otherwise legally discharged, in the county correctional facility

+ See more
in which the crime was committed. This section shall not be construed as authorizing the confinement of any juvenile under the age of 17 years in a county correctional facility for the nonpayment of a fine.

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

+ Create New

New Hampshire N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 651:22 Jurisdiction Over and Disposition of Wages and Income

In any criminal case, in addition to such other terms and conditions as may be imposed by the court, a defendant who has received a suspended sentence or who has

+ See more
been released under RSA 651:19 may be required by the court to surrender to the department of corrections or other agency designated by the court all or part of his wages or other income, less standard payroll deduction required by law, earned during the time he is not confined under the sentence. The court may direct that, after deducting therefrom the cost of his maintenance while not confined, the balance be applied as needed for restitution payments made to authorized claimants pursuant to RSA 651:62 through 66 and for the support and maintenance of his dependents. Any balance after such applications shall be deposited in a savings account to be released to him or applied as needed for restitution payments or the support of his dependents as the court may order, or applied to the designated cost of room and board at the institution for the period of time during which the inmate is working before the expiration of his sentence. Upon expiration of his sentence the balance remaining shall be paid to him or his order.

Wage/bank account garnishment All No