Following the Money? Transparency in Criminal Legal System Fees Revenues and Expenditures

Transparency about how revenues from monetary sanctions are collected and spent is crucial for public confidence, given their increased role in funding the criminal legal system and their impacts on people with low incomes. Yet, questions persist about the amounts collected, how funds are distributed, and whether these revenues provide a stable and cost-effective source of funding. This study evaluates the transparency of criminal legal system fee revenues and expenditures across U.S. states. By proposing a set of criteria adapted from the Government Accountability Office and other sources, our study assesses the public availability, accuracy and completeness, and oversight of criminal legal fee reporting in all 50 states. Findings reveal significant transparency challenges and highlight substantial variation in fee reporting, including inconsistent definitions, incomplete data, and limited explanations of revenue allocation and spending. We provide suggestions for reforms to improve transparency in fiscal transparency policy for criminal legal fees.