Senate Hearing on Juvenile Fines and Fees ‘Encouraging’: Nation’s Largest Bipartisan Justice Organization

SB 416 would significantly reduce financial barriers that can result in cycle of recidivism, life-long underachievement. 

Topeka, KS – A bill heard in the Senate Judiciary committee today would eliminate fines and fees imposed on young people in the youth justice system. If passed, the bill could have significant impact for many of the youth who are subject to the over 4,800 juvenile cases filed in Kansas each year. Because youth rarely have a significant amount of money themselves, experts warn that the burden of any financial obligations often fall on families who may already be struggling with low incomes. Being locked into a cycle of financial insecurity – whether for the family or for the juvenile themselves – increases the likelihood of recidivism, limits opportunities for education and upward mobility, and can lead to life-long consequences both for the individual and the community. State legislatures in Texas, Arizona, Louisiana, and Montana have already taken steps to end the practice of funding the youth justice system through fees.

Justice Action Network (JAN), the nation’s largest bipartisan, data-driven criminal justice organization working at both the state and federal levels, released the following statement in the wake of the hearings: 

“Public safety is not served by assessing fines and fees on kids,” said Noah Bein, JAN State Policy Manager, “The fiscal note for Senate Bill 416 is clear that it will have a negligible impact on the courts and the Kansas Department of Corrections, and only a modest impact on the state general fund given that an average of just $617,000 in fees have been assessed annually over the last four fiscal years. Financial instability is a strong risk factor for recidivism, which means that when we lock young people and their families into a cycle of poverty, we make it more likely that they will be back in the system again soon. Communities will be safer, justice-involved youth will be more likely to get and stay on the right track, and the economy will be stronger with the passage of SB 416. It’s encouraging to see the Senate committee considering action to make Kansas’ juvenile justice system more effective.”