PUBLICATIONS

NCJRS Abstract

Subscribe to Stay Informed
Want to be in the know? JUSTINFO is a biweekly e-newsletter containing information about new publications, events, training, funding opportunities, and Web-based resources available from the NCJRS Federal sponsors. Sign up to get JUSTINFO in your inbox.

The document referenced below is part of the NCJRS Library collection.
To conduct further searches of the collection, visit the NCJRS Abstracts Database.

How to Obtain Documents
	NCJ Number:	NCJ 220711
	Title:	Repaying Debts: Report Summary
	Document URL:	PDF
	Author(s):	Michael D. Thompson ; Rachel L. McLean
	Corporate Author:	Council of State Governments Justice Ctr United States of America
	Date Published:	2007
	Page Count:	10
	Annotation:	This summary report, the first of its kind, addresses the various types of debts that people released from prisons and jails typically owe their victims, their families, and various criminal justice agencies.
	Abstract:	This summary provides an overview of the full report, including highlights of relevant research, policies that should guide an initiative to improve the likelihood that people released from prisons and jails or under criminal justice supervision will meet their court-ordered financial obligations, and practical recommendations for implementing these policies. It also includes examples from a variety of cities, counties, and States that may provide useful ideas for other policymakers to tailor to their jurisdictions. Research shows that many individuals released from prisons or jails have a substantial amount of debt, including supervision fees, court costs, victim restitution, and child support. These individuals typically have insufficient resources to pay their debts; and victims, families, and criminal justice agencies often compete for a share of the small payments these ex-inmates can make. Within units of State and local governments, policies that govern the collection of fines, fees, restitution, and child support often conflict with one another, making it difficult for ex-inmates to meet their financial obligations. Ex-inmates' inability to meet their financial obligations can contribute to their reincarceration based on failure to meet the financial portion of probation supervision requirements. The report recommends that States and localities coordinate, and ideally integrate, agencies' policies, procedures, and information systems so that the fines, fees, surcharges, and restitution orders for each person sentenced to prison or jail are consolidated. Child support and victim restitution should be prioritized. Child-support enforcement policies should be enacted to encourage ex-inmate parents to maintain legitimate employment that will help them provide long-term support to their children. 28 notes
	Main Term(s):	Corrections policies
	Index Term(s):	Fines ; Ex-offender employment ; State laws ; Ex-offenders ; Restitution ; Legal fees ; Family support ; Debt management ; BJA grant-related documents
	Sponsoring Agency:	Bureau of Justice Assistance US Dept of Justice Office of Justice Programs United States of America
	Grant Number:	2005-RE-CX-K002
	Sale Source:	NCJRS Photocopy Services Box 6000 Rockville, MD 20849-6000 United States of America Council of State Governments Justice Ctr 100 Wall Street 20th Floor New York, NY 10005 United States of America
	Type:	Report (Study/Research) ; Legislation/Policy Analysis
	Country:	United States of America
	Language:	English
	To cite this abstract, use the following link: https://www.ncjrs.gov/App/Publications/abstract.aspx?ID=242538
* A link to the full-text document is provided whenever possible. For documents not available online, a link to the publisher's web site is provided.