Court-imposed fines and fees, known as “legal financial obligations” or “LFOs” are the costs, fees, fines, and victim restitution, plus 12% interest, that courts impose on criminal defendants on the time of sentencing. Private collection agencies are authorized by law to add another 19% to 50%.
Through recorded interviews and photoshoots, formerly incarcerated individuals share what it’s like for them and their families to try to survive and thrive under LFOs, including interest. Recent legal reforms have helped, but substantial relief from this debt remains largely inaccessible.
