Projects See all

For almost every city around America, fines and fees are a useful law enforcement tool, offering a way to punish everyday infractions without the immediate threat of jail or a permanent mark on a criminal record. But what happens when governments stop thinking of fines as a deterrent, but as a crucial source of funding? How does it change policing when the goal is neither to serve and protect, but to ensure that the budget doesn't take a hit? The Sunlight Foundation and MuckRock are partnering to find out.

Learn more

Latest Articles See all

Help uncover the nation’s dependence on local court fees and fines

by Emily Shaw

November 30, 2015

For the past year, Sunlight has been actively exploring the landscape of U.S. criminal justice data. Now they need your help to get critical data on how cities are using fines to fund their operations - at the expense of justice.

Projects See all

Blank Check: How local police fund themselves with fines and fees

Latest Articles See all

Help uncover the nation’s dependence on local court fees and fines

Emily Shaw hasn’t filed any requests.