Opinion: End criminal justice fees that harm minorities and poor

The Mercury News - By Jhumpa Bhattacharya and Theresa Zhen The Bay Area is known for its progressive values. We view ourselves as committed to ensuring everyone, regardless of race or ethnicity, is safe, economically secure and able to reach their full potential. In line with these values, San Francisco recently took a groundbreaking step forward by eliminating administrative criminal justice fees that are largely uncollectable and cause undue harm to communities of color and low-income communities. It’s time for Alameda County to step up and do the same. Charged to people who have already paid their debt to society, criminal justice administrative fees serve no formal punitive function and are often assigned to people who simply cannot afford to pay them. Continue reading...