Criminal Justice Fees: High Pain for People, Low Gain for Government

In May 2018,  San Francisco became the first county in the nation to pass legislation to eliminate administrative fees charged to people exiting the criminal justice system. This report outlines how 1) the fees are assessed to low-income people who cannot afford to pay them 2) increase barriers to reentry and the odds of recidivism; and 3) are an anemic counterproductive source of revenue for the city and county of San Francisco. The report outlines the our key findings on the human and fiscal impacts of the fees; the fee collection rates;  the process to advance this legislation, and recommendations for other counties considering similar reforms.