1/25/2008
Katherine Beckett, Alexes Harris, Heather Evans, Sociology, University of Washington
The Assessment and Consequences of Legal Financial Obligations in Washington State
This study investigates the assessment and consequences of Legal Financial Obligations (LFOs) in Washington State. LFOs are the financial fines, fees, and restitution payments that individuals may be assessed as part of the criminal sentence. We draw on conviction data from the Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts to identify patterns and variation in LFO assessment across counties and individuals. In addition, we interviewed fifty people with legal financial obligations to consider how legal debt affects the reentry process.
The findings indicate that the assessment of LFOs in Washington State is characterized by a high degree of variability, and that case, defendant and county level characteristics significantly influence the assessment of fees and fines. In addition, the interview findings identify several ways in which LFOs exacerbate the many difficulties associated with the reentry process.
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