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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California Cal. Pen. Code § 273a(c)(3)(B) Endangering child or causing or permitting child to suffer physical pain, mental suffering, or injury; Conditions of probation

(B) The terms of probation for offenders shall not be lifted until all reasonable fees due to the counseling program have been paid in full, but in no case shall

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probation be extended beyond the term provided in subdivision (a) of Section 1203.1. If the court finds that the defendant does not have the ability to pay the fees based on the defendant’s changed circumstances, the court may reduce or waive the fees.

Condition or extension of supervision Misdemeanor, Felony No
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Michigan Mich. Comp. Laws § 769.1(k) Wage assignment The court may require the defendant to pay any fine, cost, or assessment ordered to be paid under this section by wage assignment. Wage/bank account garnishment All No
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Michigan Mich. Comp. Laws § 780.830a Deductions and payments
(1) If a defendant who has been sentenced to jail is ordered to pay restitution under section 76, and if the defendant receives more than $50.00 in a month, the
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sheriff may deduct 50% of the amount over $50.00 received by the defendant for payment of the restitution, and 5% of the amount over $50.00 received by the defendant to be retained by the sheriff as an administrative fee. The sheriff shall promptly send the money deducted for restitution to the court or to the crime victim as provided in the order of restitution when it accumulates to an amount that exceeds $100.00, or when the defendant is released to probation or discharged on the maximum sentence.
Wage/bank account garnishment All No
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Michigan Mich. Comp. Laws § 780.796(b)(1)-(3) Deductions and payments - juvenile
(1) If a juvenile who has been sentenced to the department of corrections is ordered to pay restitution under section 44, and if the juvenile receives more than $50.00 in
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a month, the department of corrections shall deduct 50% of the amount over $50.00 received by the juvenile for payment of the restitution. The department of corrections shall promptly send the deducted money to the court or to the crime victim as provided in the order of restitution when it accumulates to an amount that exceeds $100.00, or when the juvenile is paroled, transferred to community programs, or discharged on the maximum sentence. (2) If a juvenile who has been sentenced to jail is ordered to pay restitution under section 44, and if the juvenile receives more than $50.00 in a month, the sheriff may deduct 50% of the amount over $50.00 received by the juvenile for payment of the restitution, and 5% of the amount over $50.00 received by the juvenile to be retained by the sheriff as an administrative fee. The sheriff shall promptly send the money deducted for restitution to the court or to the crime victim as provided in the order of restitution when it accumulates to an amount that exceeds $100.00, or when the juvenile is released to probation or discharged on the maximum sentence. (3) If a juvenile who has been placed in a juvenile facility is ordered to pay restitution under section 44, and if the juvenile receives more than $50.00 in a month, the department of human services or the county juvenile agency, as applicable, may deduct 50% of the amount over $50.00 received by the juvenile for payment of the restitution. The department of human services or the county juvenile agency, as applicable, shall promptly send the deducted money to the court or to the crime victim as provided in the order of restitution when it accumulates to an amount that exceeds $100.00, or when the juvenile is released from the juvenile facility.
Wage/bank account garnishment All Yes
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Michigan Mich. Comp. Laws § 12.136 Collection Services to the Courts: Offsetting tax refunds or other payments; order of priority
The department, pursuant to its statutory and common law authority, may offset tax refunds or other payments due from the state to a person who owes a debt to a
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court that would be collectible under an agreement described in this act.
Wage/bank account garnishment All No
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Michigan Mich. Comp. Laws § 780.826(15) Offsetting tax refunds
In each case in which payment of restitution is ordered as a condition of probation, the court shall order any employed defendant to make regularly scheduled restitution payments. If the
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defendant misses 2 or more regularly scheduled payments, the court shall order the defendant to execute a wage assignment to pay the restitution. The probation officer assigned to the case shall review the case not less than twice yearly to ensure that restitution is being paid as ordered. If the restitution was ordered to be made within a specific period of time, the probation officer assigned to the case shall review the case at the end of the specific period of time to determine if the restitution has been paid in full. The final review shall be conducted not less than 60 days before the probationary period expires. If the probation officer determines at any review that restitution is not being paid as ordered, the probation officer shall file a written report of the violation with the court on a form prescribed by the state court administrative office or shall petition the court for a probation violation. The report or petition shall include a statement of the amount of the arrearage and any reasons for the arrearage known by the probation officer. The probation officer shall immediately provide a copy of the report or petition to the prosecuting attorney. If a petition or motion is filed or other proceedings are initiated to enforce payment of restitution and the court determines that restitution is not being paid or has not been paid as ordered by the court, the court shall promptly take action necessary to compel compliance.
Wage/bank account garnishment Misdemeanor Yes
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Michigan Mich. Comp. Laws § 771.3(2) Restitution by defendant convicted of misdemeanor
As a condition of probation, the court may require the probationer to do 1 or more of the following: . . . (b) Pay immediately or within the period of
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his or her probation a fine imposed when placed on probation. (c) Pay costs pursuant to subsection (5). (d) Pay any assessment ordered by the court other than an assessment described in subsection (1)(f). . . . (f) Agree to pay by wage assignment any restitution, assessment, fine, or cost imposed by the court.
Wage/bank account garnishment All No
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South Carolina S.C. Code Ann. § 12-56-50 Set off of tax refund
Subject to the limitations contained in this chapter, the department, upon request, shall render assistance in the collection of any delinquent account or debt owing to any claimant agency by
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setting off any refunds due the debtor from the department by the sum certified by the claimant agency as delinquent debt.
Wage/bank account garnishment All Yes
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South Carolina S.C. Code Ann. § 24-1-295. Inmate employment wage garnishment
However, the Director of the Department of Corrections shall deduct the following from the gross earnings of the inmates engaged in prison industry service work in addition to any other
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required deductions: (1) If restitution to a particular victim or victims has been ordered by a court of appropriate jurisdiction, then twenty percent must be used to fulfill the restitution obligation. (2) If restitution to a particular victim or victims has not been ordered by a court of appropriate jurisdiction, or if the court-ordered restitution to a particular victim or victims has been satisfied, then twenty percent must be applied to the South Carolina Victim's Compensation Fund.
Wage/bank account garnishment All Yes
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South Carolina S.C. Code Ann. § 24-3-40. Garnishment of wages of prisoner allowed to work
The Director of the Department of Corrections, or the local detention or correctional facility manager, if applicable, shall deduct the following amounts from the gross wages of the prisoner: (1) If
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restitution to a particular victim or victims has been ordered by the court, then twenty percent must be used to fulfill the restitution obligation. If a restitution payment schedule has been ordered by the court pursuant to Section 17-25-322, the twenty percent must be applied to the scheduled payments. If restitution to a particular victim or victims has been ordered but a payment schedule has not been specified by the court, the director shall impose a payment schedule of equal monthly payments and use twenty percent to meet the payment schedule so imposed. (2) If restitution to a particular victim or victims has not been ordered by the court, or if court-ordered restitution to a particular victim or victims has been satisfied then: (a) if the prisoner is engaged in work at paid employment in the community, five percent must be placed on deposit with the State Treasurer for credit to a special account to support victim assistance programs established pursuant to the Victims of Crime Act of 1984, Public Law 98-473, Title II, Chapter XIV, Section 1404, and fifteen percent must be retained by the department to support services provided by the department to victims of the incarcerated population; or (b) if the prisoner is employed in a prison industry program, ten percent must be directed to the State Office of Victim Assistance for use in training, program development, victim compensation, and general administrative support pursuant to Section 16-3-1410 and ten percent must be retained by the department to support services provided by the department to victims of the incarcerated population.
Wage/bank account garnishment All Yes
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South Carolina S.C. Code Ann. § 24-13-930 Work/punishment program garnishment
The earnings of each inmate participating in the work/punishment program, less payroll deductions required by law, must be collected by or surrendered to the official administering the program or his
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authorized representative. From these earnings, the official may deduct in the following order: (b) any amount the inmate may be legally obligated to pay in restitution to the victim of his offense; (c) not less than five dollars nor more than ten dollars per workday to offset the cost to the local facility providing food, lodging, supervision, clothing, and care to the inmate. Any remaining amount of the inmate's earnings must be credited to the inmate's earnings account to be disbursed to the inmate upon release or to be disposed of according to applicable regulations of the local correctional facility.
Wage/bank account garnishment All Yes
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South Carolina S.C. Code Ann. § 24-21-100. Administrative monitoring
(A) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 24-19-120, 24-21-440, 24-21-560(B), or 24-21-670, when an individual has not fulfilled the individual's obligations for payment of financial obligations by the end of the
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individual's term of supervision, then the individual shall be placed under quarterly administrative monitoring, as defined in Section 24-21-5, by the department until such time as those financial obligations are paid in full or a consent order of judgment is filed. If the individual under administrative monitoring fails to make reasonable progress toward the payment of such financial obligations, as determined by the department, the department may petition the court to hold an individual in civil contempt for failure to pay the financial obligations. The department shall provide written notice of the petition and any scheduled contempt hearing by depositing the notice in the United States mail with postage prepaid addressed to the person at the address contained in the records of the department. The giving of notice by mail is complete ten days after the deposit of the notice. A certificate by the director of the department or the director's designee that the notice has been sent as required in this section is presumptive proof that the requirements as to notice of petition and any scheduled contempt hearing have been met even if the notice has not been received by the offender. If the court finds the individual has the ability to pay but has not made reasonable progress toward payment, the court may hold the individual in civil contempt of court and may impose a term of confinement in the local detention center until payment of the financial obligations, but in no case to exceed ninety days of confinement. Following any term of confinement, the individual shall be returned to quarterly administrative monitoring by the department. If the individual under administrative monitoring does not have the ability to pay the financial obligations and has no reasonable likelihood of being able to pay in the future, the department may submit a consent order of judgment to the court, which shall relieve the individual of any further administrative monitoring.
Condition or extension of supervision All Yes
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South Carolina S.C. Code Ann. § 24-21-480. Restitution Center program; distribution of offenders' salaries.
The offender must have paid employment and/or be required to perform public service employment up to a total of fifty hours per week. The offender must deliver his salary to the
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restitution center staff who must distribute it in the following manner: (1) restitution to the victim or payment to the account established pursuant to the Victims of Crime Act of 1984, Public Law 98-473, Title II, Chapter XIV, Section 1404, as ordered by the court; (2) payment of child support or alimony or other sums as ordered by a court; (3) payment of any fines or court fees due;
Wage/bank account garnishment All Yes
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South Carolina S.C. Code Ann. § 63-19-450. Youth Industries Program Wage Garnishment
The director must deduct from wages paid to a juvenile: (1) state, federal, and local taxes; (2) allocations for support of children pursuant to law, court order, or agreement by the committed
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juvenile; and (3) contributions to any fund established by law to compensate the victims of crime of not more than twenty percent and not less than five percent of gross wages.
Wage/bank account garnishment All Yes
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South Carolina S.C. Code Ann. § 63-19-460 Juvenile Wage Garnishment
(C) The wages of a juvenile authorized to work in the Youth Industries Program, if paid other than by the department, must be paid directly to the Department of Juvenile
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Justice and credited to the juvenile's account. If the wages are paid by an entity other than the department, these wages must be paid directly to the department, and the department shall credit the wages to the juvenile's account. The director must deduct from wages paid to a juvenile: (1) state, federal, and local taxes; (2) allocations for support of children pursuant to law, court order, or agreement by the committed juvenile; and (3) contributions to any fund established by law to compensate the victims of crime of not more than twenty percent and not less than five percent of gross wages.
Wage/bank account garnishment All Yes
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South Carolina S.C. Code Ann. §24-21-100 Administrative monitoring when fines outstanding; fee.
(A) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 24-19-120, 24-21-440, 24-21-560(B), or 24-21-670, when an individual has not fulfilled the individual's obligations for payment of financial obligations by the end of the
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individual's term of supervision, then the individual shall be placed under quarterly administrative monitoring, as defined in Section 24-21-5, by the department until such time as those financial obligations are paid in full or a consent order of judgment is filed. If the individual under administrative monitoring fails to make reasonable progress toward the payment of such financial obligations, as determined by the department, the department may petition the court to hold an individual in civil contempt for failure to pay the financial obligations. The department shall provide written notice of the petition and any scheduled contempt hearing by depositing the notice in the United States mail with postage prepaid addressed to the person at the address contained in the records of the department. The giving of notice by mail is complete ten days after the deposit of the notice. A certificate by the director of the department or the director's designee that the notice has been sent as required in this section is presumptive proof that the requirements as to notice of petition and any scheduled contempt hearing have been met even if the notice has not been received by the offender. If the court finds the individual has the ability to pay but has not made reasonable progress toward payment, the court may hold the individual in civil contempt of court and may impose a term of confinement in the local detention center until payment of the financial obligations, but in no case to exceed ninety days of confinement. Following any term of confinement, the individual shall be returned to quarterly administrative monitoring by the department. If the individual under administrative monitoring does not have the ability to pay the financial obligations and has no reasonable likelihood of being able to pay in the future, the department may submit a consent order of judgment to the court, which shall relieve the individual of any further administrative monitoring.(B) An individual placed on administrative monitoring shall pay a regular monitoring fee toward offsetting the cost of his administrative monitoring for the period of time that he remains under monitoring. The regular monitoring fee must be determined by the department based upon the ability of the person to pay. The fee must not be more than ten dollars a month. All regular monitoring fees must be retained by the department, carried forward, and applied to the department's operation.
Condition or extension of supervision All Yes
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South Carolina S.C. Code Ann. § 16-3-1260(6) Restitution payment wage garnishment
(6) Restitution payments to the State Office of Victim Assistance may be made by the Department of Corrections from wages accumulated by offenders in its custody who are subject to
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this article, except that offenders' wages must not be used for this purpose if monthly wages are at or below minimums required to purchase basic necessities.
Wage/bank account garnishment All No
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South Carolina S.C. Code Ann. § 24-21-480 Payment as condition of suspended sentence Failure to comply with program requirements may result in a request to the court to revoke the suspended sentence. Condition or extension of supervision All No
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South Carolina S.C. Code Ann. § 16-3-1260(3) Payment as condition of probation
(3) The Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services shall also have the right to make payment of the debt or a portion of the debt to the State a
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condition of parole or community supervision.
Condition or extension of supervision All No