Carceral debt continuing to damage Black communities, futures
As Black History Month draws to a close, we must keep holding accountable — and fixing — public systems that harm Black lives
With Black History Month reaching its end, this is a timely reminder of the important duty we all carry to ensure that we build on, and don’t lose, the progress for which so many of our elders bravely fought.
This duty requires that we continue to hold accountable the public systems, many of them rooted in racist and discriminatory policies, that impact our communities — and fix them when we can.
Carceral debt — or mounting fees, fines and other court-related costs — remains among the largest financial drains on Black, Brown and Indigenous communities across the U.S., with these predatory fees harming these communities’ youth and their families, in particular.
The National Center for Youth Law is working across the country, through its Debt Free Justice campaign, to bring an end to the damaging and discriminatory practice of assessing juvenile court fees and fines.
Carceral debt often leads to untold stress and places families in financial holes that can take years, even decades, to climb out from. For many families, this debt can force difficult decisions around whether to pay the court or buy basic necessities, like food or clothes.
Even the Department of Justice recommends that states stop assessing juvenile court fees and fines, which place the heaviest burden on those least able to pay them.
The Debt Free Justice campaign hosted an engaging and informative webinar last February, in recognition of Black History Month, to highlight the direct impact that carceral fees and fines have on so many Black futures.
The webinar, which is available to view here and below, offers insights into the devastating effects carceral debt has on Black communities and how we can work together to reshape and reimagine Black futures. The 50-minute discussion includes commentary from Miranda Sheffield, a campaign manager with the National Center for Youth Law; Dr. Richelle Brooks, a staff member at the Debt Collective, a debtor’s union and advocacy group; Desmond Bryant, a Kansas-based advocate and artist; and Manny Gallindo, a youth and justice advocate.
“We need to have these dialogues and not work in silos but come together and build together and really be adamant about seeing [Debt Free Justice] happen. … There are still endless possibilities for what our futures look like when we’re not having to address these economic inequalities.”
— Miranda Sheffield, National Center for Youth Law
Check out the video above to hear directly from an incredible panel. For more information on the Debt Free Justice campaign, visit debtfreejustice.org.
