Ohio Communities Collect More Law Enforcement Fines than Most in U.S.

by J.D. Davidson

 

Ohio communities collected more fines and fees than local governments in nearly every other state, according to a new report.

A Reason Foundation report that examined revenues generated through law enforcement by local governments, showed Ohio ranked seventh in the country in collecting the most fines and fees 2020.

“The primary responsibilities of the legal system are to promote public safety and to provide for justice. Pressure to raise revenue, at best, undermines and, at worst, directly conflicts with those responsibilities,” the report said. “When incentives are misaligned, police departments and court systems become more concerned with taxation by citation than carrying out their core functions. Such conflicts of interest can undermine the legitimacy of the criminal justice system.”

In total, Ohio collected $333.4 million in fines and fees during 2020, which breaks down to $28.25 per capita, above the national average of $27.

Newberg Heights Village, a small community with a population of 1,831 near Cleveland, collected 43.3 percent of its total revenue from law enforcement fines and fees, by far the highest in the state. Overall, Newberg Heights residents paid nearly $1,000 per person in fines and fees.

New Miami Village, a town of 2,217 in southwest Ohio, received 38.9 percent of the village’s total revenue from fines and fees – the highest in the state. Those residents paid $197 per capita.

Yes, Every Kid

Overall, according to the report, fines and fees account for less than 5 percent of the total revenue of the majority of communities across the country.

“Fines and fees have turned many courts into revenue centers for state and local governments. While most governments do not derive a significant portion of their general revenues from fines and fees, some are almost entirely dependent on them. Nonetheless, fines and fees are not a reliable source of revenue,” the report said.

In all, 20 states had local governments bring in more than $100 million in fines and fees in 2020. Local governments in New York, California, Texas, Illinois, Florida, Georgia, Ohio, New Jersey, Washington and Pennsylvania collected the most fines and fees in 2020.

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An Ohio native, J.D. Davidson is a veteran journalist at The Center Square with more than 30 years of experience in newspapers in Ohio, Georgia, Alabama and Texas. He has served as a reporter, editor, managing editor and publisher.

 

 

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