“A Permanent Punishment for the Poor”
In this presentation, Dr. Harris will discuss the criminal sentencing practice of monetary sanctions, which are now regularly imposed to people convicted of felonies across the United States. She will present data from a mixed-method study in Washington State to illustrate the “punishment continuum,” the variation in degree fiscal sentences are assessed and monitored within one state. Additionally, she will highlight the role of contemporary criminal justice bureaucrats and of American values in the assessment and application of legal policy. From this analysis, we will see how the system of monetary sanctions is a mechanism used to require offenders to express their remorse and accountability for their offending. And, if one is unable to make sufficient or regular payments, monetary sanctions serve as a permanent punishment with dramatic consequences for individuals’ emotions, re-entry into their communities, and future life chances.
