The Price of Justice: Rethinking the Consequences of Justice Fines and Fees | BJA 2016 9144

Opportunity Information: Apply for BJA 2016 9144

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) grant opportunity titled "The Price of Justice: Rethinking the Consequences of Justice Fines and Fees" (Funding Opportunity Number BJA 2016-9144; CFDA 16.827) is a discretionary grant program focused on reforming how state and local justice systems use and administer legal financial obligations. It starts from the premise that accountability for crime should be fair, impartial, and oriented toward public safety, victim restoration, and rehabilitation. The program highlights growing concern that fines, fees, and court costs tied to criminal justice involvement can work against those goals by trapping people in debt, contributing to incarceration for nonpayment even when a person cannot afford to pay, and producing unequal impacts across racial and ethnic groups. The Ferguson Police Department investigation is cited as a major example that intensified national scrutiny, particularly around concerns that some agencies may prioritize revenue generation over justice and safety.

A central theme of the opportunity is that, despite widespread use of fines and fees, there are major gaps in what governments and practitioners actually know about these systems. The solicitation points out that there is limited understanding of how dependent agencies are on these revenue streams, whether aggressive collection practices are cost-effective once administrative and enforcement costs are considered, and what the real short- and long-term effects of criminal justice debt are on individuals and communities. In other words, the program is not only about identifying problems; it is also about helping jurisdictions test practical alternatives and build better evidence about what works.

To address these issues, BJA offers site-based grants paired with technical assistance. The intent is to support state and local government agencies in implementing innovative approaches that reduce common barriers to building equitable fine and fee systems. While the summary language does not list specific required models, the emphasis is on reforms that promote fairness, reduce harmful consequences for people who are unable to pay, and ensure that justice practices are not driven by revenue incentives. The "site-based" structure signals that awards are meant to be implemented in real jurisdictions, not just studied in theory, with hands-on support to help agencies plan, execute, and improve reforms.

Eligible applicants include a broad range of public and affiliated entities: state, county, and city or township governments; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions in that nonprofit category). This eligibility scope suggests BJA anticipated applications led by justice agencies themselves as well as partnerships involving research institutions and nonprofits that can support design, implementation, evaluation, and community engagement.

The program anticipated making about five awards, with an award ceiling of $500,000 per grant. The opportunity was created on March 14, 2016, and had an original closing date of May 12, 2016. Overall, the grant is designed to help jurisdictions move away from systems where fines and fees can inadvertently punish poverty, fuel inequities, or distort agency priorities, and toward approaches that preserve accountability while supporting public trust, fairness, and better outcomes for justice-involved individuals and their communities.

• The Bureau of Justice Assistance in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "The Price of Justice: Rethinking the Consequences of Justice Fines and Fees" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.827.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2016-03-14.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2016-05-12. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $500,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for BJA 2016 9144

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