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.

28 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

Florida Fla. Stat. §985.039(7) Cost of supervision; cost of care

With respect to a child who has been placed under the supervision or care of the department and whose parent receives public assistance for any portion of such child's care,

+ See more
the department must seek a federal waiver to garnish or otherwise order the payment of a portion of the public assistance relating to such child, in an amount not to exceed the amount of the parent's obligation, in order to offset the costs to the department associated with providing supervision or care of such child.

Wage/bank account garnishment All Yes
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

Florida Fla. Adm. Code §33-203.201(10) Inmate Trust Fund

(10) Any cost judgment or other monetary judgment, order, or sanction imposed against an inmate as described in subsection (9) above, shall be paid by offsetting the amount of the

+ See more
judgment or monetary order or sanction against the inmate's funds in his Inmate Trust Fund account in the following manner:

(a) The attorney representing the state in such civil or criminal action or appeal shall file with the Office of the General Counsel, Department of Corrections, 501 South Calhoun Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2500, a true copy of the judgment or other monetary order or sanction which has been entered by the appropriate court, together with a cover letter stating the date and amount of the judgment, monetary order, or sanction, or the balance remaining if less than the face amount thereof, as well as the attorney's name, address and telephone number. The attorney shall also certify in the letter that: 1. He has been employed by the State to handle such action; 2. The enclosed copy of the judgment or other monetary order or sanction is a true and accurate copy thereof as actually entered by the court; 3. The judgment or relevant order is final; and 4. A copy of the letter, together with a copy of the judgment or relevant order has been furnished to the inmate at his last known address as indicated in the attorney's records.

(b) Upon receipt of the above documents, the Office of the General Counsel shall determine if the inmate is still in the custody of the Department. If the inmate is not in the custody of the Department, the Office of the General Counsel shall advise the attorney of that fact and, if known, advise the attorney of the last known forwarding address of the inmate. If the inmate is in the custody of the Department, the Office of the General Counsel shall forward the letter and a copy of the judgment or relevant order to the Bureau of Finance and Accounting, Inmate Trust Fund Section.

(c) Once the Bureau of Finance and Accounting, Inmate Trust Fund Section, receives the letter and a copy of the judgment or relevant order, a hold shall immediately be placed on the inmate's account. The inmate shall be promptly advised of the hold and that the reason therefore is an unsatisfied judgment or other monetary order or sanction. A copy of the attorney’s letter or the letter from the probation and parole field office and a copy of the judgment or relevant order will be given to the inmate upon his request.

(d) If there are sufficient funds in the inmate’s account to satisfy the amount shown as due or the remaining balance as stated by the attorney, the appropriate officer shall promptly cause a check to be issued payable to the State of Florida” and shall return the check to the attorney. The check shall be drawn and credited against funds in the inmate's account. At such time, the hold shall be released on the inmate's account. It shall be the attorney's responsibility to see that the check is forwarded to the appropriate state agency or entity.

(e) If there are insufficient funds in the inmate's account to satisfy the amount shown as due or the balance remaining as stated by the attorney, a check shall be issued payable to the State of Florida for the amount contained in the inmate's account. Each time that the inmate receives funds in his account, payment shall be disbursed to the State of Florida until the debt is satisfied. The hold shall remain on the inmate's account until sufficient funds have been paid to satisfy the amount shown as due or the balance remaining thereon. If the inmate is released from the custody of the Department before he has paid the full amount of the judgment, upon his release, a notice shall be sent to the attorney or probation and parole office advising the attorney or office of the inmate’s release, the inmate's last forwarding address, if known, and the fact that the inmate has not paid the full amount of the judgment. A copy of this notice shall be placed in the inmate's file.

Wage/bank account garnishment All Yes
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

Florida Fla. Stat. §946.002(2) Requirement of labor; compensation; amount; crediting of account of prisoner; forfeiture; civil rights; prisoner not employee or entitled to compensation insurance benefits

(2)(a) Each prisoner who is engaged in productive work in any state correctional institution, program, or facility under the jurisdiction of the department may receive for work performed such compensation

+ See more
as the department shall determine. Such compensation shall be in accordance with a schedule based on quality and quantity of work performed and skill required for performance, and said compensation shall be credited to the account of the prisoner or the prisoner’s family.

(b) Any monetary payments made directly to the prisoner shall be used in whole or in part to satisfy restitution ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction to the victim of the criminal act.

(c) It shall be the policy of the department to require inmates receiving compensation for work performed in community programs to reimburse the state for lodging, food, transportation, and other expenses incurred for sustaining the inmate. Reimbursement shall be according to rules promulgated by the department, which shall provide that the inmate retain only a minimal amount of money for personal items and shall take into consideration compensation that may be allocated for the support of the inmate’s family and for restitution for the victim of the crime committed.

Wage/bank account garnishment All Yes
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

Florida Fla. Stat. §938.30(5)-(9) Financial obligations in criminal cases; supplementary proceedings

(5) The court may order that any nonexempt property of the person which is in the hands of another be applied toward satisfying the obligation.

(6) If judgment has not been

+ See more
previously entered on any court-imposed financial obligation, the court may enter judgment thereon and issue any writ necessary to enforce the judgment in the manner allowed in civil cases. Any judgment issued under this section constitutes a civil lien against the judgment debtor’s presently owned or after-acquired property, when recorded pursuant to s. 55.10. Supplementary proceedings undertaken by any governmental entity to satisfy a judgment imposed pursuant to this section may proceed without bond and without the payment of statutory fees associated with judgment enforcement.

(7) Provisions of the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act apply to collection matters under this section and may be used to collect any court-imposed financial obligation subject to this section.

(8) If a criminal or civil judgment has previously been entered on a court-imposed financial obligation, the judgment constitutes a civil lien against the judgment debtor’s presently owned or after-acquired real or personal property when recorded pursuant to s. 55.10, except that a judgment on a court-imposed financial obligation is not subject to the 10-year rerecording requirement of s. 55.10. The judgment must secure all unpaid court-imposed financial obligations that are due and may accrue subsequent to the recording of the judgment, as well as interest and reasonable costs for issuing a satisfaction and recording the satisfaction in the official records.

(9) The clerk of the court shall enforce, satisfy, compromise, settle, subordinate, release, or otherwise dispose of any debts or liens imposed and collected under this section in the same manner as prescribed in s. 938.29(3).

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

+ Create New

Florida Fla. Stat. §944.485 Subsistence fees with respect to certain prisoners; time of adoption; requirements

(1) In recognition of the fact that many prisoners in the correctional system have sources of income and assets outside of the correctional system, which may include bank accounts, inheritances, real

+ See more
estate, social security payments, veteran’s payments, and other types of financial resources, and in recognition of the fact that the daily subsistence cost of incarcerating prisoners in the correctional system is a great burden on the taxpayers of the state, each prisoner in the state correctional system, except those who have entered into an agreement under s. 947.135 prior to October 1, 1978: (a) Shall disclose all revenue or assets as a condition of parole or other release eligibility. (b) Shall pay from such income and assets, except where such income is exempt by state or federal law, all or a fair portion of the prisoner’s daily subsistence costs, based upon the inmate’s ability to pay, the liability or potential liability of the inmate to the victim or the guardian or the estate of the victim, and the needs of his or her dependents.

(2)(a) Any prisoner who is directed to pay all or a fair portion of daily subsistence costs is entitled to reasonable advance notice of the assessment and shall be afforded an opportunity to present reasons for opposition to the assessment. (b) An order directing payment of all or a fair portion of a prisoner’s daily subsistence costs may survive against the estate of the prisoner.

Wage/bank account garnishment All Yes
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

Florida Fla. Stat. §960.292 Enforcement of the civil restitution lien through civil restitution lien order

The civil restitution lien shall be made enforceable by means of a civil restitution lien order. (1) Upon conviction, the convicted offender shall incur civil liability for damages and losses

+ See more
to crime victims, the state, its local subdivisions, and aggrieved parties as set forth in s. 960.293. The conviction shall estop the convicted offender from denying the essential allegations of that offense in any subsequent proceedings. (2) Upon motion by the state, upon petition of the local subdivision, crime victim, or aggrieved party, or on its own motion, the court in which the convicted offender is convicted shall enter civil restitution lien orders in favor of crime victims, the state, its local subdivisions, and other aggrieved parties. The court shall retain continuing jurisdiction over the convicted offender for the sole purpose of entering civil restitution lien orders for the duration of the sentence and up to 5 years from release from incarceration or supervision, whichever occurs later. (3) The court shall enter separate civil restitution lien orders as appropriate in favor of the crime victims, the state, its local subdivisions, or aggrieved parties. The civil restitution lien order shall include the name of the convicted offender, the case number assigned to the applicable criminal case, and the names and social security numbers of the crime victim, state, its local subdivisions, or aggrieved parties, as appropriate.

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

+ Create New

Florida Fla. Stat. §938.29(2) Legal assistance; lien for payment of attorney's fees or costs

(2)(a) There is created in the name of the state a lien, enforceable as hereinafter provided, upon all the property, both real and personal, of any person who: 1. Has

+ See more
received any assistance from any public defender of the state, from any special assistant public defender, from any office of criminal conflict and civil regional counsel, or from any private conflict attorney, or who has received due process services after being found indigent for costs; or 2. Is a parent of an accused minor or an accused adult tax-dependent person who is being, or has been, represented by any public defender of the state, by any special assistant public defender, by any office of criminal conflict and civil regional counsel, or by a private conflict attorney, or who is receiving or has received due process services after being found indigent for costs.

Such lien constitutes a claim against the defendant-recipient or parent and his or her estate, enforceable according to law.

(b) A judgment showing the name and residence of the defendant-recipient or parent shall be recorded in the public record, without cost, by the clerk of the circuit court in the county where the defendant-recipient or parent resides and in each county in which such defendant-recipient or parent then owns or later acquires any property. Such judgments shall be enforced on behalf of the state by the clerk of the circuit court of the county in which assistance was rendered. The lien against a parent shall remain in force notwithstanding the child becoming emancipated or the child reaching the age of majority.

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

+ Create New

Florida Fla. Stat. §775.089(5) Restitution

An order of restitution may be enforced by the state, or by a victim named in the order to receive the restitution, in the same manner as a judgment in

+ See more
a civil action. The outstanding unpaid amount of the order of restitution bears interest in accordance with s. 55.03, and, when properly recorded, becomes a lien on real estate owned by the defendant. If civil enforcement is necessary, the defendant shall be liable for costs and attorney’s fees incurred by the victim in enforcing the order.

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

+ Create New

Florida Fla. Stat. §775.089(12)(a)1 Restitution

(12)(a) Issuance of income deduction order with an order for restitution.— 1. Upon the entry of an order for restitution, the court shall enter a separate order for income deduction

+ See more
if one has not been entered.

Wage/bank account garnishment All Yes
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

Florida Fla. Stat. §939.03 Execution for costs in capital cases

In all capital cases the costs in case of conviction shall be entered up against the prisoner, and the bill of costs, when taxed by the clerk and certified in

+ See more
the manner required by law to give a bill of costs the force of an execution, shall have the force of an execution, and may be levied upon any property of the prisoner found in the state. If the sheriff shall return said bill to the office of the clerk and make affidavit thereon that sufficient property cannot be found to pay the same, and shall state in the affidavit the amount left unpaid after exhausting all the property found, the bill, or the balance unpaid thereon, shall then be audited according to law and such amount shall be paid out of the county treasury.

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

+ Create New

Florida Fla. Stat. §939.185(1)(d) Assessment of additional court costs and surcharges

The clerk of court shall cause a certified copy of the court order imposing such costs to be recorded in the public records. Such record constitutes a lien against the

+ See more
person upon whom the costs are imposed and shall attach as a lien on any real property owned by such person located in the county in which such order is recorded in the same manner and to the same extent as a judgment recorded as provided in s. 55.10. Such order shall attach as a lien on any personal property owned by such person located in the state upon the filing with the Department of State of a judgment lien certificate regarding such order as provided in ss. 55.202-55.209. A lien created under this paragraph does not attach to, or make subject to execution of levy or foreclosure, any real or personal property otherwise exempt under s. 4, Art. X of the State Constitution. A lien created under this paragraph is enforceable in the same manner as provided by law.

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

+ Create New

Florida Fla. Stat. §945.091(6)(a) Extension of the limits of confinement; restitution by employed inmates

The department shall require inmates working at paid employment as provided in paragraph (1)(b) to use a portion of the employment proceeds to provide restitution to the aggrieved party for

+ See more
the damage or loss caused by the offense of the inmate, in an amount to be determined by the department, unless the department finds clear and compelling reasons not to order such restitution. If restitution or partial restitution is not ordered, the department shall state on the record in detail the reasons therefor.

Wage/bank account garnishment All Yes
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

Florida Fla. Stat. §960.294(2) Effect of civil restitution liens

APPLICABILITY OF ALL JUDGMENT ENFORCEMENT REMEDIES. — A civil restitution lien order may be enforced by the crime victims, the state and its local subdivisions, or other aggrieved parties named

+ See more
in the civil restitution lien order, in the same manner as a judgment in a civil action, including levy against personal property by the sheriffs of this state and foreclosure against nonexempt real property. The provisions of chapter 726 apply to the transfer of the convicted offender’s assets to a third party and all other judgment enforcement remedies that are available by law.

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

+ Create New

Florida Fla. Stat. §946.512 Inmate compensation plan

The corporation shall establish a compensation plan that provides for a specific amount to be paid to the department to be credited to an account for an inmate performing labor

+ See more
and a portion to be used to make any court-ordered payments, including restitution to the victim, and a specific amount to be paid to the Prison Industries Trust Fund to be used as provided in s. 946.522. Such funds, excluding victim restitution payments, court-ordered payments, and the amount credited to the account of the inmate, shall be deposited in the Prison Industries Trust Fund to be used as provided in s. 946.522.

Wage/bank account garnishment All Yes
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

Florida Fla. Stat. §946.513(1) Private employment of inmates; disposition of compensation received

Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, an inmate may be employed by the corporation or by any other private entity operating on the grounds of a correctional institution prior

+ See more
to the last 24 months of the inmate’s confinement. Compensation received for such employment shall be credited by the department to an account for the inmate and shall be used to make any court-ordered payments, including restitution to the victim. The department rules shall provide that a portion of such compensation be credited by the department in the manner provided in s. 946.512.

Wage/bank account garnishment All No
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

Florida Fla. Stat. §945.6038(1) Inmate litigation costs

(1) The department shall charge an inmate for the following and place a lien on the inmate's trust fund account if the inmate has insufficient funds at the time the

+ See more
charges are imposed:(a) Costs of duplication of documents and accompanying evidentiary materials needed to initiate civil proceedings in judicial or administrative forums or that must be filed or served in a pending civil proceeding. The following costs are authorized: 1. Up to 15 cents per one-sided copy for duplicated copies of not more than 14 inches by 81/2 inches; or 2. For all other copies, the actual cost of duplication.

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

+ Create New

Florida Fla. Stat. §951.24(3)(c) Extend the limits of confinement for county prisoners

Every prisoner gainfully employed is liable for the cost of his or her board in the jail as fixed by the county. The sheriff shall charge the prisoner's account, if

+ See more
he or she has one, for such board. If the prisoner is gainfully self-employed he or she shall deposit with the sheriff an amount determined by the court sufficient to accomplish the provisions of subparagraphs (a)1.-5., in default of which his or her privileges under this section are automatically forfeited.

Wage/bank account garnishment All Yes
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

Florida Fla. Stat. Ann. § 849.20 Machines and devices declared nuisance; place of operation subject to lien for fine

Any room, house, building, boat, vehicle, structure or place wherein any machine or device, or any part thereof, the possession, operation or use of which is prohibited by ss. 849.15-849.23,

+ See more
shall be maintained or operated, and each of such machines or devices, is declared to be a common nuisance. If a person has knowledge, or reason to believe, that his or her room, house, building, boat, vehicle, structure or place is occupied or used in violation of the provisions of ss. 849.15-849.23 and by acquiescence or consent suffers the same to be used, such room, house, building, boat, vehicle, structure or place shall be subject to a lien for and may be sold to pay all fines or costs assessed against the person guilty of such nuisance, for such violation, and the several state attorneys shall enforce such lien in the courts of this state having jurisdiction.

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

+ Create New

Florida Fla. Stat. §316.1937(5)(b) Ignition interlock devices, requiring; unlawful acts

Any person convicted of a violation of subsection (6) who does not have a driver license shall, in addition to any other penalty provided by law, pay a fine of

+ See more
not less than $250 or more than $500 per each such violation. In the event that the person is unable to pay any such fine, the fine shall become a lien against the motor vehicle used in violation of subsection (6) and payment shall be made pursuant to s. 316.3025(5).

Property liens Traffic Yes
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

Florida Fla. Stat. §951.033(6) Income and assets; payment of subsistence costs

If the prisoner's cash account at the local detention facility does not contain sufficient funds to cover subsistence costs, the chief correctional officer may place a civil restitution lien against

+ See more
the prisoner's cash account or other personal property. A civil restitution lien may continue for a period of 3 years and applies to the cash account of any prisoner who is reincarcerated within the county in which the civil restitution lien was originated.

Property liens All No