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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
Add to Dashboard + Create New	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 + See more a spouse or any person who is responsible for maintenance of a dependent child who states that nonsupport has taken place.	Incarceration	All	Yes
Add to Dashboard + Create New	Arkansas	Ark. Code Ann. § 5-26-413	Temporary Support Order	At any time before a trial or pending appeal, upon motion of a complainant and upon notice to the defendant, the court may: ...(2) Punish for violation of the temporary + See more support order as for contempt.	Incarceration	All	No
Add to Dashboard + Create New	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
Add to Dashboard + Create New	Florida	Fla. Stat. §948.06(5)	Violation of probation or community control; revocation; modification; continuance; failure to pay restitution or cost of supervision	In any hearing in which the failure of a probationer or offender in community control to pay restitution or the cost of supervision as provided in s. 948.09, as directed, + See more is established by the state, if the probationer or offender asserts his or her inability to pay restitution or the cost of supervision, it is incumbent upon the probationer or offender to prove by clear and convincing evidence that he or she does not have the present resources available to pay restitution or the cost of supervision despite sufficient bona fide efforts legally to acquire the resources to do so. If the probationer or offender cannot pay restitution or the cost of supervision despite sufficient bona fide efforts, the court shall consider alternate measures of punishment other than imprisonment. Only if alternate measures are not adequate to meet the state's interests in punishment and deterrence may the court imprison a probationer or offender in community control who has demonstrated sufficient bona fide efforts to pay restitution or the cost of supervision.	Incarceration	All	Yes
Add to Dashboard + Create New	Florida	Fla. Stat. §984.09(2)	Punishment for contempt of court; alternative sanctions	PLACEMENT IN A SECURE FACILITY.A child may be placed in a secure facility for purposes of punishment for contempt of court if alternative sanctions are unavailable or inappropriate, or if + See more the child has already been ordered to serve an alternative sanction but failed to comply with the sanction.(a) A delinquent child who has been held in direct or indirect contempt may be placed in a secure detention facility for 5 days for a first offense or 15 days for a second or subsequent offense, or in a secure residential commitment facility. (b) A child in need of services who has been held in direct contempt or indirect contempt may be placed, for 5 days for a first offense or 15 days for a second or subsequent offense, in a staff-secure shelter or a staff-secure residential facility solely for children in need of services if such placement is available, or, if such placement is not available, the child may be placed in an appropriate mental health facility or substance abuse facility for assessment. In addition to disposition under this paragraph, a child in need of services who is held in direct contempt or indirect contempt may be placed in a physically secure setting as provided under s. 984.226 if conditions of eligibility are met.	Incarceration	All	No
Add to Dashboard + Create New	Florida	Fla. Stat. §938.30(2)	Financial obligations in criminal cases; supplementary proceedings	The court may require a person liable for payment of an obligation to appear and be examined under oath concerning the person’s financial ability to pay the obligation. The judge + See more may convert the statutory financial obligation into a court-ordered obligation to perform community service, subject to the provisions of s. 318.18(8), after examining a person under oath and determining the person’s inability to pay. Any person who fails to attend a hearing may be arrested on warrant or capias issued by the clerk upon order of the court.	Incarceration	All	No
Add to Dashboard + Create New	Florida	Fla. Stat. §901.11	Effect of not answering summons	Failure to appear as commanded by a summons without good cause is an indirect criminal contempt of court and may be punished by a fine of not more than $100. + See more When a person fails to appear as commanded by a summons, the trial court judge shall issue a warrant. If the trial court judge acquires reason to believe that the person summoned will not appear as commanded after issuing a summons, the trial court judge may issue a warrant.	Incarceration	All	No
Add to Dashboard + Create New	Florida	Fla. Stat. §939.04	Execution for costs in other cases	In all cases less than capital, wherein the defendant may be adjudged to pay costs, a capias may be issued, as is provided for the collection of fines and forfeitures.	Incarceration	All	No
Add to Dashboard + Create New	Florida	Fla. Stat. §901.31	Failure to obey written promise to appear	Any person who willfully fails to appear before any court or judicial officer as required by a written notice to appear shall be fined not more than the fine of + See more the principal charge or imprisoned up to the maximum sentence of imprisonment of the principal charge, or both, regardless of the disposition of the charge upon which the person was originally arrested. Nothing in this section shall interfere with or prevent the court from exercising its power to punish for contempt.	Incarceration	All	Yes
Add to Dashboard + Create New	Florida	Fla. Stat. §941.18	Forfeiture of bail	If the prisoner is admitted to bail, and fails to appear and surrender himself or herself according to the conditions of his or her bond, the judge shall declare the + See more bond forfeited and order his or her immediate arrest without warrant if he or she is within this state. Recovery may be had on such bond in the name of the state as in the case of other bonds given by the accused in criminal proceedings within this state.	Incarceration	All	Yes
Add to Dashboard + Create New	Florida	Fla. Stat. §903.105	Appearance bonds	Any person who willfully fails to appear before any court or judicial officer as required by a written notice to appear shall be fined not more than the fine of + See more the principal charge or imprisoned up to the maximum sentence of imprisonment of the principal charge, or both, regardless of the disposition of the charge upon which the person was originally arrested. Nothing in this section shall interfere with or prevent the court from exercising its power to punish for contempt.	Incarceration	All	Yes
Add to Dashboard + Create New	Florida	Fla. Stat. §951.16	Prisoners entitled to receive credit on fine based on imprisonment	Every person who may be imprisoned in the county jail for failure to pay a fine and costs, or either, under sentence imposed upon conviction for crime shall be entitled + See more to receive, together with subsistence, a credit on such fine and costs, or either, as the case may be, in proportion to the time such person may be imprisoned.	Incarceration	All	Yes
Add to Dashboard + Create New	Florida	Fla. Stat. §922.04	Discharge of prisoner unable to pay fine	When the court determines on the written application of a prisoner that he or she has been imprisoned for 60 days solely for failure to pay a fine or costs + See more which total not more than $300 and that the prisoner is indigent and unable to pay the fine or costs, the court shall order the prisoner discharged from custody.	Incarceration	All	Yes
Add to Dashboard + Create New	Florida	Fla. Stat. §984.09(1)	Punishment for contempt of court; alternative sanctions	The court may punish any child for contempt for interfering with the court or with court administration, or for violating any provision of this chapter or order of the court + See more relative thereto. It is the intent of the Legislature that the court restrict and limit the use of contempt powers with respect to commitment of a child to a secure facility. A child who commits direct contempt of court or indirect contempt of a valid court order may be taken into custody and ordered to serve an alternative sanction or placed in a secure facility, as authorized in this section, by order of the court.	Incarceration	All	No
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
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
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
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
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
Add to Dashboard + Create New	South Dakota	S.D. Codified Laws § 32-23-4.10	Costs payable to county--Nonpayment punishable by contempt.	In addition to any other penalty, assessment, or fine provided by law, the court shall order any person convicted of a crime for a violation of § 32-23-1 to remit + See more costs in the amount of fifty dollars to the clerk of courts. The clerk of courts shall forward any amount collected pursuant to this section to the county treasurer for deposit in the county general fund. Failure to remit the amount to the clerk of courts in the time specified by the court is punishable by contempt proceedings.	Incarceration	All	Yes

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