Monetary sanctions and court fees are counterproductive to the goals of juvenile justice

Each year, an estimated 1 million youth enter juvenile courts. In nearly every state, juveniles and their families may encounter a host of fines, fees, and court costs. Empirical research demonstrates that these monetary sanctions and court costs fail to achieve the goals of reducing reoffending and raising revenue. In fact, there is growing evidence that legal financial obligations are associated with higher rates of recidivism among juvenile offenders.