Loopholes in Florida laws allow law enforcement to collect excessive fines

Loopholes in Florida laws allow law enforcement to collect excessive fines

Local governments in Florida and across the country collect approximately $8 billion in law enforcement fines and forfeitures annually.  In most cases, these revenues account for a vanishingly small portion of government budgets — just 0.38% on average. However, some governments have come to rely on police and the court system to fund basic operations, creating perverse incentives that divert resources away from legitimate public safety prioriti…