The criminal justice system in the United States, far from being a tool of fairness and rehabilitation, has long operated as a mechanism for economic oppression. One of the most insidious examples of this is the continued enforcement of monetary fines, a practice that disproportionately harms low-income individuals and serves as a modern extension of financial servitude.
For many people, a traffic fine or court-imposed fee might be an inconvenience, but for low-income workers, it is a destabilizing event. When a judge imposes a fine on someone already struggling to afford basic needs, the penalty is not merely financial—it is existential. A fine of even $100 can mean choosing between rent and food, between a medical bill and gas to get to work.
The assumption underlying monetary fines is that everyone has the ability to pay. This assumption is false and dangerous. Those in financial distress do not have "extra" money to give the state. Instead, they are forced to sacrifice essentials, go further into debt, or risk additional penalties for non-payment, often leading to even harsher consequences like license suspension or arrest. This is not justice; this is economic enslavement.
In the United States, wealth is not distributed equally, and yet our legal system punishes people as if it were. The impact of a $200 fine on a low-income gig worker is significantly greater than it is on a middle-class office worker. The practice of enforcing monetary penalties on those who cannot afford them ensures that the poor remain trapped in a cycle of poverty, unable to escape the grip of financial strain imposed by the courts.
This is not by accident. Monetary fines are a tool of revenue generation for the state, disproportionately targeting those least equipped to fight back. They are used not as a means of justice, but as a means of funding broken systems that criminalize poverty.
Financial insecurity is one of the leading causes of stress and mental health deterioration. For those already struggling with economic hardship, a court-imposed fine is not just a financial burden—it is a direct attack on their mental well-being.
Studies show that chronic financial stress leads to anxiety, depression, and a host of physical health problems. The legal system, instead of helping struggling individuals, exacerbates these issues by imposing additional burdens that push them further into crisis. Judges who enforce these fines without consideration for an individual’s economic state are complicit in this systemic harm.
It is long past time for a reevaluation of the way our legal system punishes minor infractions. Monetary fines should be adjusted based on income or replaced with alternative penalties that do not perpetuate financial hardship. While some might suggest community service as an alternative, this is not always feasible for those with demanding work schedules, mental health struggles, or disabilities.
Judges, lawmakers, and citizens must recognize that justice cannot be served through punishment that disproportionately harms the poor. We must push for systemic changes that prioritize fairness over financial exploitation. Until then, monetary fines will remain what they have always been: a legal form of economic servitude, trapping the most vulnerable members of our society in an endless cycle of struggle.