NCJ Number
106270
Date Published
1987
Length
62 pages
Annotation
This executive summary outlines the main findings from a questionnaire survey designed to elicit information on the practices and attitudes of State trial court judges regarding the use of fines as a criminal sanction.
Abstract
Responses to the mail questionnaire were received from 1,261 judges (approximately 10 percent of all full-time judges in the United States who handled felony or criminal misdemeanor cases in the 2 years preceding the survey). The study is consistent with other recent research in finding that fines are used extensively as a criminal sanction. Fines are most commonly used in combination with other sanctions rather than as an alternative to incarceration. Judges often lack the information to impose fines that are realistic and enforceable given the income of the offender. The mildly favorable judicial attitudes toward fines suggest that if fines can be shown to work effectively, judges may use them more broadly as a sentencing alternative. Although judges view the collection and enforcement of fines as a problem, they have little knowledge of fines administration procedures used in their courts. Judges are concerned about the use of fines with poor offenders, and many favor the use of day fines, which take account of both offense severity and offender ability to pay. Recommendations are intended to improve the effectiveness of fines as a criminal sanction. 20 appended tables and 19 footnotes. (Author abstract modified)