In the aftermath of Ferguson, Court systems face increased scrutiny when it comes to collecting and recuperating costs from fines and fees. Considering the ongoing funding crisis local governments face, this revenue still plays a critical part in operational budgets- despite the new stigma. As such court systems must take extra care to ensure ethical practices while still optimizing recovery efforts in order to manage their limited resources and remain compliant.
This post is the Second in a four-part series that identifies the key steps to ensuring ethical and complaint court collections.
Part Two: Standardize
In addition to establishing consistent messaging (see part one), courts can ensure defendants comprehend the legal fees that coincide with their sentencing by creating a method of standardization for fines and cost assessments. Sometimes referred to as “bench cards,” standardizations take the form of short summaries that detail the defendant’s rights and obligations.
Standardizations, in any form, typically include the following information:
Definition of fines and costs (be they civil or criminal)
Details of the laws which enforce the fines
Factors that are used to assess the defendant’s ability to pay
Alternative sentencing options
And penalties, including jail time, if for failed compliance with the obligations
Many local governments are already seeing a reduction in complaints just from adopting a simple practice like this. Standardizing cost assessments and fines, and packaging them in a straightforward way, such as the creation of a bench card, offers a high level of transparency to defendants- a key component of ensuring compliance. It can also improve collection efforts by eliminating any confusion around their financial obligations.
Download our White Paper: Four Steps to Achieving Compliant and Effective Processes