Dreams Deferred: The Impact of Juvenile Fees on Florida's Children, Families, and Future

January 2022
By Fees and Fines Justice Center and Juvenile Law Center
    
This report outlines the catastrophic consequences of juvenile fee debt for Florida's children, families, and economy including: increased poverty, increased recidivism, and the exacerbation of racial disparities in the justice system. It also shows how the accumulation of fee debt is particularly damaging for Black youth and youth in the child welfare system. Using county-level and statewide data, the report highlights the futility of both government, and private collection efforts, arguing that the costs of fee assessment and collection far outweigh the meager revenue received from such efforts.