K a r in D. M a rtin , K iMber ly Spencer-Sua r ez, a nD Ga br iel a K ir K This article proposes the centrality of procedural integrity-or fidelity to local norms of case processing-to the post-sentencing adjudication of monetary sanctions. We draw on insights gained from observations of more than 4,200 criminal cases in sixteen courts in New York and Illinois and find that procedural integrity becomes a focal point in the absence of monetary sanctions paid in full and on time. This examination of the interplay between the sociolegal context and workgroups within courtrooms brings to light how case processing pressure, mandatory monetary sanctions, defendants with pronounced financial insecurity, and judicial discretion inform the role monetary sanctions play in court operations.
Social identities have been shown to reflect normative beliefs and practices that can impact important health behaviors. A better understanding of how this process unfolds among young people with marginalized identities can help inform strategies to decrease mental health disparities and improve their overall health outcomes. A mixed method, convergent parallel design was used to examine identity centrality, mental health treatment history, and cultural experiences of a purposeful sample, consisting of 31 Black and Latinx young adults (Mage = 22.16) who identified as sexual and gender minorities in New York City. Data from validated measures and in-depth interviews were triangulated to strengthen and add context to findings. Participants with higher social identity centrality scores, particularly on community belonging and sexual identity, were more likely to continuously use mental health services. Seven social identities were prominent in qualitative data: Sexual, Ethnic-racial, Religious, Socioeconomic, Gender, Family, and Generational. These social identities were described as interconnected, and as both significant barriers and facilitators to participants' involvement in treatment. Results suggested that young lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) people of color seeking mental health care might need more support to navigate experiences related to intersecting identities. Interventions to improve services and maintain these youth in treatment should employ strategies to assess and support positive minority identity development, while also addressing self-stigma and discrimination experienced through culture, family, and mental health professionals. Considering social identity development is conceptually useful for 1 We use "Latinx" as a gender-inclusive term that acknowledges genderexpansive individuals of Latin American origin/decent.
Over the last several decades, with the rise of mass incarceration in the United States and its steep costs, governments at the federal, state, and local levels have dramatically ramped up monetary punishment. Monetary sanctions are now the most common type of criminal penalty in the United States. The growth of fines, fees, and other legal financial obligations (LFOs), and the ensuing legal debt, reflect a shifting of the system’s costs onto its primarily low-income and indigent subjects. This study provides an exploration of previously underexamined ways in which monetary sanctions impose distinct burdens on the poor. Interviews with 121 defendants in Texas and New York, along with courtroom observations, demonstrate that criminal legal debt is particularly challenging for people with low incomes in three meaningful ways. First, systems set up to handle indigency claims do not adequately address the needs or complex individual circumstances of those who simply do not have the ability to pay. Oftentimes, alternatives are unavailable or statutorily prohibited. Second, the lack of alternatives to payment lead to compromising situations, which then compel indigent defendants to make difficult choices about how to allocate scant resources. Finally, being encumbered with fines and fees and participating in alternatives like community service comes with taxing time requirements that can prove uniquely challenging for those who are poor. These three findings lead us to propose a series of policy recommendations revolving around three key themes: (a) enhancement of indigency procedures, (b) equity in monetary sanctions, and (c) alleviating burdens by improving accessibility.
Monetary sanctions in the criminal legal system are legally and procedurally complex. If not paid in a timely manner, a single conviction can result in multiple legal financial obligations, varying in kind, payment procedure, and consequences. This study examines how, and the extent to which, criminal legal debtors understand monetary sanctions. Based on interviews with 60 individuals who owed criminal legal debt in New York, we propose a typology of debtor understanding. Proximal understanding pertains to individual, case-level factors and is instrumentally oriented. Distal understanding concerns system-level matters and is oriented toward normativity and fairness. We examine how debtors develop each type of understanding, how these dimensions interact, and the implications of debtor understanding for compliance behavior.
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