The University of Cincinnati School of Criminal Justice has announced a $2.6 million grant from the Laura and John Arnold Foundation for a study that will examine how fines and fees operate in community corrections in several U.S. state.

Led by assistant professor Ebony Ruhland, the mixed-methods study will examine how fines and fees in community corrections — both probation and parole — affect the ability of individuals to succeed while under supervision. Ruhland's team includes professors and researchers from Drexel University (Jordan Hyatt), Indiana University-Bloomington (Miriam Northcutt Bohmert), the University of Michigan Law School (Meghan O'Neil), the University of Minnesota Law School (Kelly Lyn Mitchell, Erin Harbinson, and Julia Laskorunsky), Northeastern University (Shytierra Gaston), and Rutgers University (Nathan Link).

At the end of 2016, some 4.5 million adults were serving sentences under community supervision. While fees typically are ordered as conditions of supervision, little is known about the impact they make on the individuals required to pay them. This study will seek to understand the implications of the monetary requirements for the individual and the criminal justice system.