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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Alabama Ala.Code 1975 § 12-18-72 Restitution to victim's of crimes: Condition of probation or parole; default.

(a) When a defendant whose sentence has been suspended and placed on probation by the court, and ordered to make restitution, defaults in the payment thereof or of any installment,

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the court on motion of the victim or the district attorney or upon its own motion shall require the defendant to show cause why his default should not be treated as violation of a condition of his probation.

(b) When the defendant is sentenced to the penitentiary by the court, and the court orders restitution, it shall be made a condition of his parole that restitution be made. When the parolee defaults in the payment thereof or any installment, the parole board on motion of the victim or the district attorney or the supervising parole officer, may require the defendant to show cause why his default should not be treated as a violation of a condition of parole, and the board may declare the parolee delinquent and after due process may revoke his parole.

Extension of probation/supervision Misdemeanor, Felony No
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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

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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
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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

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if one has not been entered.

Wage/bank account garnishment All Yes
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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

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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
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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

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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
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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

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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
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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

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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
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Colorado C.R.S. 16-18.5-106.8(1) State Income Tax Refund Offsets - Restitution - Definitions

In any case in which a defendant has an unsatisfied restitution obligation ordered pursuant to section 18-1.3-603 or 19-2-918, C.R.S., the judicial department is authorized to transmit data concerning the obligation to the

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department of revenue for the purpose of conducting a data match and offsetting the restitution obligation against a state income tax refund pursuant to section 39-21-108 (3), C.R.S. For any restitution obligation identified by the judicial department for offset, the state court administrator shall: (a)  On at least an annual basis, certify to the department of revenue the social security number of the defendant who is obligated to pay the restitution obligation and the amount of the outstanding restitution obligation. The department of revenue may request additional identifying information from the judicial department that is necessary to obtain an accurate data match. (b)  Upon notification by the department of revenue of a data match, notify the appropriate court that a match has occurred and that an offset is pending and provide to the court the identifying information received from the department concerning the defendant whose state income tax refund is subject to the offset;(c)  Provide or require the appropriate court to provide written notice to the defendant that the state intends to offset the defendant's restitution obligation against his or her state income tax refund and that the defendant has the right to object to the offset and request an administrative review; and (d)  Upon receipt of funds for offset from the department of revenue, transmit the funds to the appropriate court.

Wage/bank account garnishment All No
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Georgia Ga. Code Ann. § 17-10-20(c) Collection of Fines and Restitution in Criminal Cases

If the fine or restitution is not paid in full, such judgment may be enforced by instituting any procedure for execution upon the writ of fieri facias through levy, foreclosure,

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garnishment, and all other actions provided for the enforcement of judgments in the State of Georgia and in other states and foreign nations where such judgment is afforded full faith and credit under the Uniform Foreign Money Judgments Act or domestication thereof.

Wage/bank account garnishment All No
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Iowa Iowa Code § 8A.504(d)(3),(2) Setoff Procedures

d. “Qualifying debt” includes, but is not limited to, the following: (3) Any debt which is in the form of a liquidated sum due, owing, and payable to the clerk of

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the district court.

2. Setoff procedure. The collection entity shall establish and maintain a procedure to set off against any claim owed to a person by a public agency any liability of that person owed to a public agency, a support debt being enforced by the child support recovery unit pursuant to chapter 252B, or such other qualifying debt.

Wage/bank account garnishment All Yes
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Iowa Iowa Code § 815.9(7)-(8) Indigency determined — penalty

7. When ordering payment of all or a portion of the total costs and fees incurred for legal assistance under subsection 6, the court may order payment of the costs and

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fees in reasonable installments as provided in section 909.3, or may order the entire amount due and payable. If any costs and fees are not paid at the time specified in the order of the court, a judgment shall be entered against the person for any unpaid amount. Such judgment may be enforced by the state in the same manner as a civil judgment.

8. If a person is granted an appointed attorney or has received legal assistance in accordance with this section and the person is employed, the person shall execute an assignment of wages. An order for assignment of income, in a reasonable amount to be determined by the court, shall be entered by the court. The state public defender shall prescribe forms for use in wage assignments and court orders entered under this subsection.

Wage/bank account garnishment All Yes
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Kentucky Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 431.100
Withholding of money payable by Commonwealth to defendant in satisfaction of money judgment in criminal proceeding; fines and forfeitures go to Commonwealth; disposition of fines from offenses relating to alcohol
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and to criminal littering; monetary . . .

When a money judgment is entered against a defendant in a criminal proceeding and each sum, or any part thereof, remains unpaid, there shall be withheld from any disbursement, payment, benefit,

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compensation, salary, or other transfer of money from the Commonwealth of Kentucky to such defendant an amount equal to the unpaid amount of the judgment. Under no circumstances shall the general fund be used to reimburse court costs or pay for judgment.

Wage/bank account garnishment All Yes
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Kentucky Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 532.160(1) Criminal garnishment

(1) If a convicted person is unable to pay all court costs, fees, fines, and other monetary penalties at the time of sentencing, then the sentencing court may, consistent with

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KRS 23A.205, 24A.175, 534.020, and KRS 534.060, issue a criminal garnishment order for all fines under KRS Chapter 534 or KRS 49.480 and for court costs, restitution, and reimbursement charges in this chapter.

Wage/bank account garnishment All No
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Maine Me. Rev. Stat. tit 17-A § 2007(1) Restitution: Income withholding order

When restitution is required of an offender who will not be commencing service of a period of institutional confinement, who does not receive a sentence that includes a period of

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probation and who is employed, the court shall, at the time of ordering restitution, enter a separate order for income withholding. When restitution is required of an offender who receives a sentence that includes a period of probation and who is employed, upon application of the offender's probation officer, the court shall enter a separate order for income withholding. The withholding order must direct the employer to deduct from all income due and payable to the offender an amount determined pursuant to section 1326-A to meet the offender's restitution obligation. The withholding order must include an instruction to the employer that upon receipt of a copy of the withholding order the employer shall: A. Immediately begin to withhold the offender's income when the offender is usually paid; B. Send each amount withheld to the agency to which restitution has been ordered to be paid at the address set forth in the order within 7 business days of the withholding; and C. Identify each amount sent to the agency by indicating the court's docket number.

Wage/bank account garnishment All Yes
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Maine Me. Rev. Stat. tit 17-A § 2016(1) Work program release; restitution

A prisoner who has been ordered to pay restitution or fines may not be released pursuant to a work program administered by the Department of Corrections under Title 34-A, section

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3035, or a sheriff under Title 30-A, section 1605, or participate in an industry program under Title 34-A, section 1403, subsection 9 or any other program administered by the Department of Corrections or a sheriff by which a prisoner is able to generate money, unless the prisoner consents to pay at least 25% of the prisoner's gross weekly wages or other money generated to the victim or the court until such time as full restitution has been made or the fine is paid in full.

Wage/bank account garnishment All No
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Missouri Mo. Ann. Stat. § 558.006 Response to nonpayment

When an offender sentenced to pay a fine defaults in the payment of the fine or in any installment, the fine or installment shall be collected by any means authorized for the enforcement

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collection of money judgments, other than a lien against real estate, or may be waived at the discretion of the sentencing judge.

Other, Wage/bank account garnishment All No
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Missouri Mo. Rev. Stat. § 488.020(3)-(4) Collection of court costs, when, how

The supreme court may provide by rule for imposition of interest on any court costs not paid within thirty days of when due. If any court cost is not paid

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when due, the following actions may be taken:

(3) Upon notification to the party from whom the court cost is due, and upon failure to pay the fee after such notice, the court may inform the office of administration of any delinquencies in excess of twenty-five dollars. Upon receiving such notice, and without further notice by the office of administration to the defaulting party, the office of administration shall deduct the amount of unpaid court costs from any payment by the state to the defaulting party under any provision of law. The office of administration shall transmit the amount set off to the court, and shall send the excess amount to the payee, with a notice that the remainder of the refund was transmitted to the court in satisfaction of all or part of the unpaid court costs. The office of administration and its officials and employees shall not be liable to any person for any action taken in accordance with the requirements of this subdivision. Any proceeding contesting any action taken by a court or the office of administration pursuant to this subdivision shall be brought in the court which certified such unpaid fees to the office of administration, and shall be deemed ancillary to the proceeding for which such unpaid fees were assessed. No appearance, responsive pleading or discovery shall be due from the office of administration in such proceeding except upon order of the court;

(4) Upon notification to the party from whom the fee is due, a failure to pay the fee after such notice, and a showing of the party's ability to pay the fee, the court may hold the party in contempt.

 

Collection fee/interest, Incarceration, Increased fine, Other, Wage/bank account garnishment All No
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Missouri Mo. Rev. Stat. § 488.5028(1)-(3) Court cost delinquencies, income tax setoff may be requested, procedure

1. If a person fails to pay court costs, fines, fees, or other sums ordered by a court, to be paid to the state or political subdivision, a court may report

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any such delinquencies in excess of twenty-five dollars to the office of state courts administrator and request that the state courts administrator seek a setoff of an income tax refund. The state courts administrator shall set guidelines necessary to effectuate the purpose of the offset program. The office of state courts administrator also shall seek a setoff of any income tax refund and lottery prize payouts made to a person whose name has been reported to the office as being delinquent pursuant to section 221.070.

2. The office of state courts administrator shall provide to: (1) The department of revenue, the information necessary to identify each debtor whose refund is sought to be set off and the amount of the debt or debts owed by any debtor who is entitled to a tax refund in excess of twenty-five dollars and any debtor under section 221.070 who is entitled to a tax refund of any amount; and (2) The state lottery commission, the information necessary to identify each debtor whose lottery prize payouts are sought to be set off and the amount of the debt or debts owed by the debtor under section 221.070.

3. The department of revenue shall notify the office of state courts administrator that a refund has been set off, and the state lottery commission shall notify the office when a lottery prize payout has been set off, on behalf of a court. The department or commission shall certify the amount of such setoff, which shall not exceed the amount of the claimed debt certified. When the refund owed or lottery prize payouts exceed the claimed debt, the department of revenue when a refund is set off, or the state lottery commission when lottery prizes are set off, shall send the excess amount to the debtor within a reasonable time after such excess is determined.

Other, Wage/bank account garnishment 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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New Hampshire N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 651:22 Jurisdiction Over and Disposition of Wages and Income

In any criminal case, in addition to such other terms and conditions as may be imposed by the court, a defendant who has received a suspended sentence or who has

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been released under RSA 651:19 may be required by the court to surrender to the department of corrections or other agency designated by the court all or part of his wages or other income, less standard payroll deduction required by law, earned during the time he is not confined under the sentence. The court may direct that, after deducting therefrom the cost of his maintenance while not confined, the balance be applied as needed for restitution payments made to authorized claimants pursuant to RSA 651:62 through 66 and for the support and maintenance of his dependents. Any balance after such applications shall be deposited in a savings account to be released to him or applied as needed for restitution payments or the support of his dependents as the court may order, or applied to the designated cost of room and board at the institution for the period of time during which the inmate is working before the expiration of his sentence. Upon expiration of his sentence the balance remaining shall be paid to him or his order.

Wage/bank account garnishment All No