The Juvenile Law Center has recently released a report that shows once more that the fines and fees imposed on children in conflict with the law by juvenile justice courts in the US are often the cause of significant financial and psychological distress for them and their families.
The report focuses on the state of Philadelphia. From 2018 to mid-2024, Pennsylvania juvenile courts imposed over $12 million in fees and nearly $2 million in fines on children and families, and most counties struggled to collect a significant portion of the amounts assessed. While the revenue generated constitutes a tiny fraction of county budgets, the adverse effects on children and families are substantial. Research shows that in cases of unpaid fees and fines, young people were often pushed deeper into the justice system, as the situation could take them from diversionary measures to juvenile court, make them stay longer in a probation period, or even place them in detention. Courts can also convert these unpaid fees and fines into civil judgements which are the cause of long-time debts that can interfere with their ability to get new loans to pay for their education or housing. When youth cannot pay for these, the burden often falls to their parents, which causes special distress in families already facing poverty.
The Juvenile Law Center has been steadily advocating for the elimination of all fees and fines imposed by juvenile courts onto young people in conflict with the law, and encourages the state of Philadelphia with this report to join the 24 other states around the country who have eliminated some or all juvenile fees and fines.