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 (5)
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- Payment plan/installment plan (13)
- (-) Property liens (15)
- Wage/bank account garnishment (11)
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Level of Offense
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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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 | Alaska Stat. Ann. § 12.55.051(a) | Enforcement of Fines and Restitution |
If the defendant defaults in the payment of a fine or any installment or of restitution or any installment, the court may order the defendant to show cause why the defendant should not be sentenced to imprisonment for nonpayment and, if the payment was made a condition of the defendant's probation, may revoke the probation of the defendant subject to the limits set out in AS 12.55.110.
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Condition or extension of supervision | All | No |
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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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Connecticut | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-210 | Levy of fine against property |
Any fine against any person under section 53a-209 may be levied against any of his real property, personal property, tangible or intangible, choses in action or property of any kind + See moreor nature, including debts owing to him, which may be situated or found in this state.
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Property liens | All | No |
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Connecticut | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 18-85a(b) | State's claim against inmate's property for repayment of costs of incarceration |
(b) The state shall have a claim against each inmate for the costs of such inmates incarceration under this section, and regulations adopted in accordance with this section, for which the state has not been reimbursed. Any property owned by such inmate may be used to satisfy such claim, except property that is: (1) Exempt pursuant to section 52-352b or 52-352d, except as provided in subsection (b) of section 52-321a; (2) subject to the provisions of section 54-218; (3) acquired by such inmate after the inmate is released from incarceration, but not including property so acquired that is subject to the provisions of section 18-85b, 18-85c or 52-367c, and except as provided in subsection (b) of section 52-321a; (4) acquired by such inmate for work performed during incarceration as part of a program designated or defined in regulations adopted by the Commissioner of Correction, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, as a job training, skill development or career opportunity or enhancement program, other than a pilot program established pursuant to section 18-90b, except that the commissioner may assess a fee for participation in any such program; or (5) credited to a discharge savings account pursuant to section 18-84a, not in excess of one thousand dollars. In addition to other remedies available at law, the Attorney General, on request of the Commissioner of Correction, may bring an action in the superior court for the judicial district of Hartford to enforce such claim, provided no such action shall be brought but within two years from the date the inmate is released from incarceration or, if the inmate dies while in the custody of the commissioner, within two years from the date of the inmate's death, except that such limitation period shall not apply if such property was fraudulently concealed from the state.
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Property liens | All | Yes |
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Connecticut | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 18-85b(a) | State's claim against proceeds of person's cause of action |
(a) In the case of causes of action of any person obligated to pay the costs of such person's incarceration under section 18-85a and regulations adopted in accordance with said section brought by such person within twenty years from the date such person is released from incarceration, the claim of the state shall be a lien against the proceeds therefrom in the amount of the costs of incarceration or fifty per cent of the proceeds received by such person after payment of all expenses connected with the cause of action, whichever is less, for repayment under said section, and shall have priority over all other claims, including any lien of the state for repayment of public assistance, except (1) attorney's fees for the cause of action, (2) expenses of suit, (3) costs of hospitalization connected with the cause of action by whomever paid over and above hospital insurance or other such benefits, and, for such period of hospitalization as was not paid for by the state, physicians' fees for services during any such period as are connected with the cause of action over and above medical insurance or other such benefits, (4) child support obligations pursuant to subsection (d) of section 17b-93, (5) restitution or payment of compensation to a crime victim ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction, and (6) payment of a civil judgment rendered in favor of a crime victim by a court of competent jurisdiction; and such claim shall consist of the total amount of the costs of incarceration under section 18-85a and regulations adopted in accordance with said section. The proceeds of such causes of action shall be assignable to the state for payment of the amount due under section 18-85a, and regulations adopted in accordance with said section, irrespective of any other provision of law.
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Property liens | All | Yes |
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Connecticut | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 18-85b(b) | State's claim against proceeds of person's inheritance for repayment of costs of incarceration |
(b) In the case of an inheritance of an estate by any person who is obligated to pay the costs of such person's incarceration under section 18-85a and regulations adopted in accordance with said section that is received by such person within twenty years from the date such person is released from incarceration, the claim of the state shall be a lien against such inheritance in the amount of the costs of incarceration or fifty per cent of the assets of the estate payable to such person, whichever is less. The Court of Probate shall accept any such lien notice filed by the commissioner or the commissioner's designee with the court prior to the distribution of such inheritance, and to the extent of such inheritance not already distributed, the court shall order distribution in accordance therewith.
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Property liens | All | Yes |
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Connecticut | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 18-85c | State's claim against person's estate for repayment of costs of incarceration |
Upon the death of any person obligated to pay the costs of such person's incarceration under section 18-85a and regulations adopted in accordance with said section that occurs within twenty years from the date such person is released from incarceration, the state shall have a claim against such person's estate for all costs of incarceration under the provisions of said section and such regulations for which the state has not been reimbursed, to the extent that the amount which the surviving spouse, parent or dependent children of the decedent would otherwise take from such estate is not needed for their support.
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Property liens | All | Yes |
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Connecticut | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-28a | Enforcement of orders of financial restitution. |
All financial obligations ordered pursuant to subsection (c) of section 53a-28 or subsection (a) of section 53a-30, as amended by this act, may be enforced in the same manner as a judgment in a civil action by the party or entity to whom the obligation is owed. The party or entity seeking enforcement of the financial obligations as a judgment in a civil action shall file with the Superior Court a copy of the court’s order of restitution ordered pursuant to section 53a-28 or 53a-30, as amended by this act, together with an affidavit prepared by the agency or entity monitoring payment of the obligations, on a form prescribed by the Office of the Chief Court Administrator, attesting to the terms of restitution and manner of performance fixed by the court or the Court Support Services Division, identifying the amount of the obligation that has been paid and the amount of the obligation that is owed. Such obligations may be enforced at any time during the ten-year period following the offender’s release from confinement or termination of probation, or within ten years of the entry of the order and sentence, whichever is longer. There shall be no entry fee for filing an enforcement action pursuant to this section. Not later than thirty days after the date of filing of the judgment and the affidavit, the party or entity seeking enforcement of such judgment shall mail notice of filing of the judgment by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, to the offender at such offender’s last-known address. The proceeds of an execution shall not be distributed to the party or entity seeking enforcement of such judgment earlier than thirty days after the date of filing proof of service with the clerk of the court in which enforcement of such judgment is sought. No fee shall be required for the filing of an execution. The payment of marshal’s fees for service of an execution shall be collected in accordance with the provisions of section 52-261.
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Property liens | All | No |
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Connecticut | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-350f | Enforcement of money judgment. Costs, fees and interest. |
A money judgment may be enforced against any property of the judgment debtor unless the property is exempt from application to the satisfaction of the judgment under section 52-352a, 52-352b, 52-352d or 52-361a or any other provision of the general statutes or federal law. The money judgment may be enforced, by execution or by foreclosure of a real property lien, to the amount of the money judgment with (1) all statutory costs and fees as provided by the general statutes, (2) interest as provided by chapter 673 on the money judgment and on the costs incurred in obtaining the judgment, and (3) any attorneys fees allowed pursuant to section 52-400c.
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Property liens | All | No |
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Missouri | Mo. Ann. Stat. § 559.016(3) | Terms of probation - extension |
The court may extend a period of probation, however, no more than one extension of any probation may be ordered except that the court may extend the total time on probation by one additional year by order of the court if the defendant admits he or she has violated the conditions of his or her probation or is found by the court to have violated the conditions of his or her probation.
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Condition or extension of supervision | All | No |
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Missouri | Mo. Ann. Stat. § 559.021(2)(1) | Conditions of probation--compensation of victims--free work, public or charitable--defendant not an employee for workers’ compensation purposes--payment to county restitution fund, when |
In addition to such other authority as exists to order conditions of probation, the court may order such conditions as the court believes will serve to compensate the victim, any dependent of the victim, any statutorily created fund for costs incurred as a result of the offender's actions, or society. Such conditions may include restorative justice methods pursuant to section 217.777, or any other method that the court finds just or appropriate including, but not limited to: (1) Restitution to the victim or any dependent of the victim, or statutorily created fund for costs incurred as a result of the offender's actions in an amount to be determined by the judge.
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Condition or extension of supervision | All | No |
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Missouri | Mo. Ann. Stat. § 600.090(2)(1) | Determination of ability to pay all or part of representation costs--lien for reasonable value of services, procedure--deposit of funds collected |
The reasonable value of the services rendered to a defendant pursuant to sections 600.011 to 600.048 and 600.086 to 600.096 may in all cases be a lien on any and all property to which the defendant shall have or acquire an interest. The public defender shall effectuate such lien whenever the reasonable value of the services rendered to a defendant appears to exceed one hundred fifty dollars and may effectuate such lien where the reasonable value of those services appears to be less than one hundred fifty dollars.
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Property liens | All | No |
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Missouri | Mo. Ann. Stat. § 600.093 | Probation, payment for services may be condition |
The court may require a defendant to repay all or a part of the value of the legal services rendered by the state public defender system as a condition of probation.
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Condition or extension of supervision | All | No |
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Missouri | Mo. Ann. Stat. § 558.006(5) | Response to nonpayment |
Upon default in the payment of a fine or any installment thereof, the fine may be collected by any means authorized for the enforcement of money judgments. |
Incarceration, Property liens, Wage/bank account garnishment | All | No |
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Missouri | Mo. Ann. Stat. § 546.86 | All property bound for fine and costs |
The property, real and personal, of any person charged with a criminal offense, shall be bound from the time of his final conviction of such offense, for the payment of all fines and costs which he may be adjudged to pay.
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Property liens | All | No |
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Missouri | Mo. Ann. Stat. § 559.105 | Restitution may be ordered for tampering and stealing offenses--limitation on release from probation--payment |
1. Any person who has been found guilty of or has pled guilty to an offense may be ordered by the court to make restitution to the victim for the victim's losses due to such offense. Restitution pursuant to this section shall include, but not be limited to a victim's reasonable expenses to participate in the prosecution of the crime.
2. No person ordered by the court to pay restitution pursuant to this section shall be released from probation until such restitution is complete. If full restitution is not made within the original term of probation, the court shall order the maximum term of probation allowed for such offense. 3. Any person eligible to be released on parole shall be required, as a condition of parole, to make restitution pursuant to this section. The board of probation and parole shall not release any person from any term of parole for such offense until the person has completed such restitution, or until the maximum term of parole for such offense has been served. 4. The court may set an amount of restitution to be paid by the defendant. Said amount may be taken from the inmate's account at the department of corrections while the defendant is incarcerated. Upon conditional release or parole, if any amount of such court-ordered restitution is unpaid, the payment of the unpaid balance may be collected as a condition of conditional release or parole by the prosecuting attorney or circuit attorney under section 559.100. The prosecuting attorney or circuit attorney may refer any failure to make such restitution as a condition of conditional release or parole to the parole board for enforcement. |
Condition or extension of supervision | All | No |
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Missouri | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 600.089 | Parolees to pay for representation, when |
If the public defender commission has obtained a judgment against an offender in the custody of the department of corrections, and the offender is later paroled and becomes financially able to pay all or some part of such judgment, he shall be required, as a condition of his continued parole, to pay over to the public defender commission such amounts as he can reasonably pay, either by a single payment or by installments of reasonable amounts, in accordance with the schedule of charges for public defender services prepared pursuant to section 600.090.
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Condition or extension of supervision | All | No |
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Oklahoma | Okla. Stat. tit. 22, § 1355.14D | Payment of costs of representation--Fee schedule |
Any order directing the defendant to pay costs of representation shall be a lien against all real and personal property of the defendant and may be filed against such property + See moreand foreclosed as provided by law for civil liens.
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Property liens | All | Yes |
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Wyoming | Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 7-16-101 | Persons subject to required work |
(a) The sentencing court may require the following persons to perform work pursuant to W.S. 7-16-101 through 7-16-104: (i) Persons sentenced to a definite term of imprisonment in the county jail, whether or not a fine is imposed as a part of the sentence; (ii) Persons committed to jail pursuant to W.S. 6-10-105 for refusal to pay a fine or costs; and (iii) Persons for whom work is imposed as a condition of probation pursuant to W.S. 7-13-304(b). (b) No person charged with a crime and awaiting the action of the grand jury or awaiting trial shall be required to perform work pursuant to W.S. 7-16-101 through 7-16-104.
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Condition or extension of supervision, Work program/jail industry program | All | No |
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For more information, please visit cjpp.law.harvard.edu.