The Criminal Justice Roundtable supports a criminal justice system that will result in a reduction in the rate of incarceration that has increased over the past several decades while minimizing crime and maximizing the safety of our communities.
Criminal Justice System: Exploring Its Impact on Poor Communities
Mission
Ever make mistakes in life? That’s okay – it’s a human thing. You make mistakes and learn to do better the next time. Every day citizens are pulled over for minor traffic infractions and they end up attending traffic school or paying their fines and being done with it.
But what if you are poor and those mistakes keep you in poverty because of fines and fees that you cannot pay? How do you keep a job if you lose your license? How do you support yourself or your family?
The Criminal Justice Roundtable exists to explore this problem and learn first-hand what happens to communities impacted by a system that makes it difficult to stay productive members of society by reason of their inability to pay for a minor traffic fine that over time becomes a major financial burden.
In 2025-2026 members of The Criminal Justice Roundtable:
1. Support and participate in local and state organizations that advocate for those who are impacted by fines, fees, and loss of driving privileges as the result of their interaction with local police or the courts.
2. Communicate and work with local law enforcement agencies and their leaders to learn more about their policies and make them aware of how these policies and procedures affect impacted communities, in particular poor communities. Attend Advocacy Day in Raleigh to encourage support for legislation that eases the burden to poor communities. Attend City Council meetings to support initiatives that improve interactions between law enforcement and citizens.
3. Participate in an ongoing Court Watch Program which offers more direct help to those who are unable to pay court fees and suffer consequences that prevent them from feeding their family, keeping a job, or paying their rent. In 2025 alone, 327 people were given information on how to use a 415 form (petition for waiving fines and fees) or had their fees paid outright by a local nonprofit. Some had fees which accumulated over several years even though they had little to no income.
Meeting and Contact Information
Interested in reforming our criminal justice system to assure equitable treatment for all our citizens? Want to stop the criminalization of poverty? The Roundtable regularly meets on the 2nd Tuesday of each month from 3-4:30 p.m. Contact the Criminal Justice Roundtable at cjrt@lwvpt.org.
Partners in the Pursuit of Justice
Second Chance Federation (Thursday Thoughts)
Black and Brown Women’s Voting Initiative
NCCDP – North Carolina Coalition for Alternatives to the Death Penalty
New Garden Friends Peace and Social Concerns
TriadRising
FREE Guilford
More information about the impacts of fines and fees on North Carolinians can be found at:
News Items
From the NC Council of Churches
Reform the Cash Bail System (2026)
A resolution to change the cash bail bond system, unanimously approved June 7, 2022; posted August 8th, 2022.
Tricia de Beer on Fox News
Watch Tricia de Beer, co-chair of our Criminal Justice Roundtable (CJRT) on Fox News advocating for driver’s license restoration. The CJRT, along with partner organizations, is working to address the problem in Guilford County which has the highest number of suspended licenses in the state.