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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New Jersey N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2C:46-2 Consequences of Nonpayment
If the court finds that the person defaulted on payment of a court-imposed financial obligation, restitution, or child support or other support or maintenance ordered by a court without good cause and finds
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that the default was willful, the court may, in addition to the action required by paragraph (1) of this subsection a., impose a term of imprisonment or participation in a labor assistance program or enforced community service to achieve the objective of the court-imposed financial obligation, restitution, or child support or other support or maintenance ordered by a court. These options shall not reduce the amount owed by the person in default. The term of imprisonment or enforced community service or participation in a labor assistance program in such case shall be specified in the order of commitment. It need not be equated with any particular dollar amount but, in the case of a fine it shall not exceed one day for each $50 of the fine nor shall it exceed a period of 90 consecutive days. In no case shall the total period of imprisonment in the case of a disorderly persons offense for both the sentence of imprisonment and for failure to pay a fine exceed six months.
Incarceration All No
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New Jersey N.J. Stat. Ann. § 17:29A-35 Motor vehicle violations surcharges for private passenger automobiles
If, upon written notification from the commission or its designee, mailed to the last address of record with the commission, a driver fails to pay a surcharge levied under this section and
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collectible by the commission, the driving privilege of the driver shall be suspended forthwith until at least five percent of each outstanding surcharge assessment that has resulted in suspension is paid to the commission; except that the commission may authorize payment of the surcharge on an installment basis over a period of 12 months for assessments under $2,300 or 24 months for assessments of $2,300 or more. The commission, for good cause, may authorize payment of any surcharge on an installment basis over a period not to exceed 36 months. If a driver fails to pay the surcharge or any installments on the surcharge, the total surcharge shall become due immediately, except as otherwise prescribed by rule of the commission.
Payment plan/installment plan All No
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New Jersey N.J. Stat. Ann. § 17:29A-35 Motor vehicle violations surcharges for private passenger automobiles
As an additional remedy, the commission may issue a certificate to the Clerk of the Superior Court stating that the person identified in the certificate is indebted under this surcharge
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law in such amount as shall be stated in the certificate. The certificate shall reference the statute under which the indebtedness arises. Thereupon the clerk to whom such certificate shall have been issued shall immediately enter upon the record of docketed judgments the name of such person as debtor; the State as creditor; the address of such person, if shown in the certificate; the amount of the debt so certified; a reference to the statute under which the surcharge is assessed, and the date of making such entries. The docketing of the entries shall have the same force and effect as a civil judgment docketed in the Superior Court, and the commission shall have all the remedies and may take all of the proceedings for the collection thereof which may be had or taken upon the recovery of a judgment in an action, but without prejudice to any right of appeal.
All No
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Washington Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 9.94A.750(1)-(2),(4) Restitution

(1) If restitution is ordered, the court shall determine the amount of restitution due at the sentencing hearing or within one hundred eighty days. The court may continue the hearing beyond

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the one hundred eighty days for good cause. The court shall then set a minimum monthly payment that the offender is required to make towards the restitution that is ordered. The court shall not issue any order that postpones the commencement of restitution payments until after the offender is released from total confinement. The court should take into consideration the total amount of the restitution owed, the offender’s present, past, and future ability to pay, as well as any assets that the offender may have. An offender’s inability to make restitution payments while in total confinement may not be the basis for a violation of his or her sentence unless his or her inability to make payments resulted from a refusal to accept an employment offer to a class I or class II job or a termination for cause from such a job.

(2) During the period of supervision, the community corrections officer may examine the offender to determine if there has been a change in circumstances that warrants an amendment of the monthly payment schedule. The community corrections officer may recommend a change to the schedule of payment and shall inform the court of the recommended change and the reasons for the change. The sentencing court may then reset the monthly minimum payments based on the report from the community corrections officer of the change in circumstances.

(4) For the purposes of this section, the offender shall remain under the court’s jurisdiction for a term of ten years following the offender’s release from total confinement or ten years subsequent to the entry of the judgment and sentence, whichever period is longer. Prior to the expiration of the initial ten-year period, the superior court may extend jurisdiction under the criminal judgment an additional ten years for payment of restitution. The portion of the sentence concerning restitution may be modified as to amount, terms and conditions during either the initial ten-year period or subsequent ten-year period if the criminal judgment is extended, regardless of the expiration of the offender’s term of community supervision and regardless of the statutory maximum sentence for the crime. The court may not reduce the total amount of restitution ordered because the offender may lack the ability to pay the total amount. The offender’s compliance with the restitution shall be supervised by the department only during any period which the department is authorized to supervise the offender in the community under RCW 9.94A.728, 9.94A.501, or in which the offender is in confinement in a state correctional institution or a correctional facility pursuant to a transfer agreement with the department, and the department shall supervise the offender’s compliance during any such period. 

 

Payment plan/installment plan All No
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Washington Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 10.01.160(1),(4) Costs — What constitutes — Payment by defendant — Procedure — Remission — Medical or mental health treatment or services

(1) Except as provided in subsection (3) of this section, the court may require a defendant to pay costs. Costs may be imposed only upon a convicted defendant, except for costs

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imposed upon a defendant’s entry into a deferred prosecution program, costs imposed upon a defendant for pretrial supervision, or costs imposed upon a defendant for preparing and serving a warrant for failure to appear.

(4) A defendant who has been ordered to pay costs and who is not in contumacious default in the payment thereof may at any time after release from total confinement petition the sentencing court for remission of the payment of costs or of any unpaid portion thereof. If it appears to the satisfaction of the court that payment of the amount due will impose manifest hardship on the defendant or the defendant’s immediate family, the court may remit all or part of the amount due in costs, modify the method of payment under RCW 10.01.170, or convert the unpaid costs to community restitution hours, if the jurisdiction operates a community restitution program, at the rate of no less than the state minimum wage established in RCW 49.46.020 for each hour of community restitution. Manifest hardship exists where the defendant is indigent as defined in RCW 10.101.010(3) (a) through (c).

Payment plan/installment plan All No
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Washington Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 9.92.060(2) Suspending sentences

(2) As a condition to suspension of sentence, the superior court shall require the payment of the penalty assessment required by RCW 7.68.035. In addition, the superior court may require

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the convicted person to make such monetary payments, on such terms as the superior court deems appropriate under the circumstances, as are necessary: (a) To comply with any order of the court for the payment of family support; (b) to make restitution to any person or persons who may have suffered loss or damage by reason of the commission of the crime in question or when the offender pleads guilty to a lesser offense or fewer offenses and agrees with the prosecutor's recommendation that the offender be required to pay restitution to a victim of an offense or offenses which are not prosecuted pursuant to a plea agreement; (c) to pay any fine imposed and not suspended and the court or other costs incurred in the prosecution of the case, including reimbursement of the state for costs of extradition if return to this state by extradition was required; and (d) to contribute to a county or interlocal drug fund.

Condition or extension of supervision All No
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Washington Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 9.92.130 City jail prisoners may be compelled to work

When a person has been sentenced by any municipal or district judge in this state to a term of imprisonment in a city jail, whether in default of payment of

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a fine or otherwise, such person may be compelled on each day of such term, except Sundays, to perform eight hours' labor upon the streets, public buildings, and grounds of such city.

Incarceration All No
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Washington Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 9.92.140 County jail prisoners may be compelled to work

When a person has been sentenced by a district judge or a judge of the superior court to a term of imprisonment in the county jail, whether in default of

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payment of a fine, or costs or otherwise; such person may be compelled to work eight hours, each day of such term, in and about the county buildings, public roads, streets and grounds: PROVIDED, This section and RCW 9.92.130 shall not apply to persons committed in default of bail.

Incarceration All No
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Washington Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 9.94A.631(1) Violation of condition or requirement of sentence--Security searches authorized--Arrest by community corrections officer--Confinement in county jail

(1) If an offender violates any condition or requirement of a sentence, a community corrections officer may arrest or cause the arrest of the offender without a warrant, pending a

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determination by the court or by the department.

Condition or extension of supervision, Incarceration All No
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Washington Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 9.94A.6333(3) Sanctions--Modification of sentence--Noncompliance hearing

3) If an offender fails to pay legal financial obligations as a requirement of a sentence the following provisions apply:
(a) The court, upon the motion of the state, or

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upon its own motion, shall require the offender to show cause why the offender should not be punished for the noncompliance. The court may issue a summons or a warrant of arrest for the offender's appearance;
(b) The state has the burden of showing noncompliance by a preponderance of the evidence;
(c) The court may not sanction the offender for failure to pay legal financial obligations unless the court finds, after a hearing and on the record, that the failure to pay is willful. A failure to pay is willful if the offender has the current ability to pay but refuses to do so. In determining whether the offender has the current ability to pay, the court shall inquire into and consider: (i) The offender's income and assets; (ii) the offender's basic living costs as defined by RCW 10.101.010 and other liabilities including child support and other legal financial obligations; and (iii) the offender's bona fide efforts to acquire additional resources. An offender who is indigent as defined by RCW 10.101.010(3) (a) through (c) is presumed to lack the current ability to pay;
(d) If the court determines that the offender is homeless or a person who is mentally ill, as defined in RCW 71.24.025, failure to pay a legal financial obligation is not willful noncompliance and shall not subject the offender to penalties;
(e) If the court finds that a failure to pay is willful noncompliance, it may impose the sanctions specified in RCW 9.94A.633(1); and
(f) If the court finds that the violation was not willful, the court may, and if the court finds that the defendant is indigent as defined in RCW 10.101.010(3) (a) through (c), the court shall modify the terms of payment of the legal financial obligations, reduce or waive nonrestitution legal financial obligations, or convert nonrestitution legal financial obligations to community restitution hours, if the jurisdiction operates a community restitution program, at the rate of no less than the state minimum wage established in RCW 49.46.020 for each hour of community restitution. The crime victim penalty assessment under RCW 7.68.035 may not be reduced, waived, or converted to community restitution hours.

Incarceration, Payment plan/installment plan All No
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Washington Wash. Rev. Code Ann. §9.94A.703(2)(d) Community custody — Conditions

Unless waived by the court, as part of any term of community custody, the court shall order an offender to:
(d) Pay supervision fees as determined by the department;

Condition or extension of supervision All No
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Washington Wash. Sup. Ct. Crim. R. 7.3 JUDGMENT

A judgment of conviction shall set forth whether defendant was represented by counsel or made a valid waiver of counsel, the plea, the verdict or findings, and the adjudication and

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sentence. The court may order that its sentence include special conditions or requirements, including a specified schedule for the payment of a fine, restitution, or other costs, or the performance of community service.

Payment plan/installment plan All No