While survey evidence suggests widespread financial fragility in the US, causal evidence on
the implications of typical, negative income shocks is scarce. I estimate the impact of …

Children's indirect exposure to the justice system through biological parents or coresident
adults is both a marker of their own vulnerability and a measure of the justice system's …

Abstract Millions in the United States face financial sanctions in the criminal court system
each year, totaling over $27 billion in overall criminal debt. In this study, we leverage five …

We study the implications of police discretion for public safety. Highway patrol officers
exercise discretion over fines by deviating from statutory fine rules. Relying on variation …

Many jurisdictions levy sizable fines and fees (legal financial obligations, or LFOs) on
criminal defendants. Proponents argue LFOs are a “tax on crime” that funds courts and …

Intergenerational exposure to the justice system is both a marker of vulnerability among
children and a measurement of the potential unintended externalities of crime policy in the …

We estimate the effect of the level of fines on payment compliance and revenues collected
from speeding tickets. Exploiting discontinuous increases in fines at speed cutoffs and …

We estimate the effect of the level of fines on payment compliance and revenues collected
from speeding tickets. Exploiting discontinuous increases in fines at speed cutoffs and …

This paper examines the causal effect of fines and court fees on criminal reoffending for low-
level misdemeanants by leveraging the quasi-random assignment of judges in North …

We document class disparities and discrimination in the incidence of police searches.
Lowincome motorists are more likely to be pursued in pretext stops and to be searched for …