Poverty Penalties and Poverty Traps

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State Statute Description/Statute Name Statutory language Type of poverty penalty or poverty trap Level of offense Mandatory
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Louisiana LA Rev Stat §1381.2. Orleans ParishSheriff's detention and prison security fee fund
A. Any defendant, other than an indigent, who pleads guilty or is convicted of an offense by the Criminal District Court for the Parish of Orleans shall be assessed a
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fee of not less than twenty-five dollars, such costs to be in addition to any fine, clerk's fees, costs due to the criminal court cost fund or sentence imposed by the court. When any defendant, other than an indigent, fails to pay the costs referred to hereinabove, he shall be sentenced to a term of thirty days in the parish prison in default of the payment of same.
Incarceration All Yes
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Louisiana CCRP 884 Sentence of fine with imprisonment for default
If a sentence imposed includes a fine or costs, the sentence shall provide that in default of payment thereof the defendant shall be imprisoned for a specified period not to
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exceed one year; provided that where the maximum prison sentence which may be imposed as a penalty for a misdemeanor is six months or less, the total period of imprisonment upon conviction of the offense, including imprisonment for default in payment of a fine or costs, shall not exceed six months for that offense.
Incarceration All No
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Louisiana CCRP 885 fine and costs
A defendant who has been imprisoned for default in the payment of a fine, or fine and costs, under a sentence imposed pursuant to Article 884, may, at any time
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before expiration of the term of imprisonment, obtain his release by paying to his custodian all of the costs imposed and a sum of money that bears the same proportion to the imposed fine as the term of alternate imprisonment yet to run bears to the whole of such term of imprisonment.
Incarceration All No
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Louisiana La. Stat. Ann. § 13:4611 Contempt
For any other contempt of court, including disobeying an order for the payment of child support or spousal support or an order for the right of custody or visitation, by
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a fine of not more than five hundred dollars, or imprisonment for not more than three months, or both.
Incarceration All No
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Louisiana LA Rev Stat §13:1377.A Thirty day jail term
A. Any defendant, other than an indigent, who pleads guilty or is convicted of an offense by the Criminal District Court for the Parish of Orleans shall be assessed
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costs of court not to exceed the sum of one hundred dollars, such costs to be in addition to any fine, clerk's fees or sentence imposed by the court. When any defendant, other than an indigent, fails to pay the costs referred to hereinabove, he shall be sentenced to a term of thirty days in the parish prison in default of the payment of same.
Incarceration All Yes
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Louisiana LA REV Stat §30:2531.6.H(3) Failure to pay fine for littering offense His failure to appear at this second hearing could subject him to another charge of contempt of court along with the punishment of serving time in jail. Incarceration Misdemeanor No
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Maine Me. Rev. Stat. tit 15 §1903 Fines and forfeitures recovered by indictment unless otherwise provided

All fines and forfeitures, imposed as punishment for offenses or for violations or neglects of statute duties may, when no other mode is expressly provided, be recovered by indictment. When

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no other appropriation is expressly made, they inure to the State.

Incarceration All No
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Maine Me. Rev. Stat. tit 17-A § 1711(4)(A)(1) Fines: Default

Unless the offender shows by a preponderance of the evidence that the default was not attributable to an intentional or knowing refusal to obey the court's order or to a

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failure on the offender's part to make a good faith effort to obtain the funds required for the payment, the court shall find that the default was unexcused and may:(

(1) Commit the offender to the custody of the sheriff until all or a specified part of the fine is paid. The length of confinement in a county jail for unexcused default must be specified in the court's order and may not exceed 6 months. An offender committed for nonpayment of a fine is given credit toward the payment of the fine for each day of confinement that the offender is in custody at the rate specified in the court's order, which may not be less than $25 or more than $100 of unpaid fine for each day of confinement. The offender is also given credit for each day that the offender is detained as the result of an arrest warrant issued pursuant to this section. An offender is responsible for paying any fine remaining after receiving credit for confinement and detention.

Incarceration All No
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Maine Me. Rev. Stat. 17-A § 2015(3)(A) Restitution: Default

A. Unless the offender shows by a preponderance of the evidence that the default was not attributable to an intentional or knowing refusal to obey the court's order or to a

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failure on the offender's part to make a good-faith effort to obtain the funds required to make payment, the court shall find that the default was unexcused and may commit the offender to the custody of the sheriff until all or a specified part of the restitution is paid. The length of confinement in a county jail for unexcused default must be specified in the court's order and may not exceed one day for every $5 of unpaid restitution or 6 months, whichever is shorter. An offender committed for nonpayment of restitution is given credit toward the payment of restitution for each day of confinement that the offender is in custody, at the rate specified in the court's order. The offender is also given credit for each day that the offender has been detained as the result of an arrest warrant issued pursuant to this section. An offender is responsible for paying any restitution remaining after receiving credit for confinement and detention. A default on the remaining restitution is also governed by this section.

Incarceration All No
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Maine Me. Rev. Stat. tit 17-A § 1751(6)(A) County jail reimbursement fee

6. Motion to enforce payment of reimbursement fee. The attorney for the State, the attorney for the county or the court may initiate a motion to enforce payment of a reimbursement

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fee. Notification for the hearing on the motion must be sent by regular mail to the individual's last known address. If the individual does not appear for the hearing after proper notification has been sent, the court may issue a bench warrant.

A. Unless the individual shows by a preponderance of the evidence that the default was not attributable to an intentional or knowing refusal to obey the court's order or to a failure on the individual's part to make a good faith effort to obtain the funds required to make payment, the court shall find that the default was unexcused and may commit the individual to the custody of the sheriff until all or a specified part of the reimbursement fee is paid. The length of confinement in a county jail for unexcused default must be specified in the court's order and may not exceed 6 months. An individual committed for nonpayment of a reimbursement fee is given credit toward the payment of a reimbursement fee for each day of confinement that the individual is in custody, at the rate specified in the court's order, which may not be less than $25 or more than $100 of unpaid reimbursement fee for each day of confinement. The individual is also given credit for each day that the individual has been detained as the result of an arrest warrant issued pursuant to this section. An individual is responsible for paying any reimbursement fee remaining after receiving credit for confinement and detention.

Incarceration All No
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Maine Me. Rev. Stat. tit 17-A § 1807(6) Conditions of probation

When a person on probation fails to pay the supervision fee, the court may revoke probation as specified in section 1206, unless the person shows that failure to pay was

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not attributable to a willful refusal to pay or to a failure on that person's part to make a good faith effort to obtain the funds required for the payment. The court, if it determines that revocation of probation is not warranted, shall issue a judgment for the total amount of the fee and shall issue an order attaching a specified portion of money received by or owed to the person on probation until the total amount of the fee has been paid. If the person makes this showing, the court may allow additional time for payment within the remaining period of probation or reduce the size of the fee to as low as $10 per month, but may not revoke the requirement to pay the fee unless the remaining period of probation is 30 days or less.

Incarceration All No
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Maine Me. Rev. Stat. tit 17-A § 1807(7) Conditions of probation

7. Electronic monitoring and substance testing fees; determination of amount by court; failure to pay; use of fees. Upon the request of the Department of Corrections, the court shall attach as

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a condition of probation that the person pay, through the department, an electronic monitoring fee, a substance testing fee or both, as determined by the court, for the term of probation. In determining the amount of the fees, the court shall take into account the financial resources of the person and the nature of the burden the payment imposes. A person may not be sentenced to imprisonment without probation solely for the reason the person is not able to pay the fees. When a person on probation fails to pay the fees, the court may revoke probation as specified in section 1812, unless the person shows that failure to pay was not attributable to a willful refusal to pay or to a failure on that person's part to make a good faith effort to obtain the funds required for the payment. 

Incarceration All No
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Maine Me. Rev. Stat. tit 4 § 7 General jurisdiction; control of records

The Supreme Judicial Court may exercise its jurisdiction according to the common law not inconsistent with the Constitution or any statute, and may punish contempts against its authority by fine

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and imprisonment, or either, and administer oaths.

Incarceration All No
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Maine Me. Rev. Stat. tit 17-A § 1854(2)(A) Requirements of administrative release

2. Discretionary requirements. In addition to the requirements in subsection 1, the court in its sentence may require the person:

A. To pay to the appropriate county an administrative supervision fee of not

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more than $50 per month, as determined by the court, for the term of the administrative release. In determining the amount of the fee, the court shall take into account the financial resources of the person and the nature of the burden its payment imposes. When a person fails to pay the administrative supervision fee, the court may revoke administrative release as provided in sections 1855 and 1856 unless the person shows that failure to pay was not attributable to a willful refusal to pay or to a failure on that person's part to make a good faith effort to obtain the funds required for the payment.

Incarceration All No
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Mississippi Miss. Code Ann. § 99-19-20 (2) Incarceration
 The defendant may be imprisoned until the fine is paid if the defendant is financially able to pay a fine and the court so finds, subject to the limitations hereinafter
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set out.
Incarceration All No
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Mississippi Miss. Code Ann. § 99-37-5(2) Payment and orders
(2) When a defendant sentenced to pay a fine or costs or ordered to make restitution is also placed on probation or imposition or execution of sentence is suspended, the
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court may make payment of the fine or costs or the making of restitution a condition of probation or suspension of sentence. Such offenders shall make restitution payments directly to the victim. As an alternative to a contempt proceeding under Sections 99-37-7 through 99-37-13, the intentional refusal to obey the restitution order or a failure by a defendant to make a good faith effort to make such restitution may be considered a violation of the defendant's probation and may be cause for revocation of his probation or suspension of sentence.
Incarceration All No
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Mississippi Miss. Code Ann. § 99-37-7(2) Contempt for default
(2) Unless the defendant shows that his default was not attributable to an intentional refusal to obey the order of the court or to a failure on his part to
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make a good faith effort to make the payment, the court may find that his default constitutes contempt and may order him committed until the fine or the restitution, or a specified part thereof, is paid.
Incarceration All No
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Mississippi Miss. Code Ann. §97-33-1 Miss. Code Ann. §97-33-1
shall be fined in a sum not more than Five Hundred Dollars ($ 500.00); and, unless such fine and costs be immediately paid, shall be imprisoned for any period not
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more than ninety (90) days
Incarceration Misdemeanor Yes
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Mississippi Miss. Code Ann. §97-33-11 Miss. Code Ann. §97-33-11
shall be fined in a sum not more than five hundred dollars; and unless such fine and costs be immediately paid, shall be imprisoned in the county jail for not
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less than five nor more than twenty days
Incarceration Misdemeanor Yes
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Mississippi Miss. Code Ann. §97-35-41 Miss. Code Ann. §97-35-41  in addition to being committed to jail is herein provided, such person shall also pay all costs, and shall stand committed until same is paid Incarceration Misdemeanor Yes