Massachusetts has eliminated probation fees, which ranged from $50 to $65 a month, as part of the $52.7 billion state budget signed by Republican Gov. Charlie Baker in July. The state also scrapped $80 per month parole fees and a $5 per month victim services surcharge that probationers were required to pay, reports the Eagle-Tribune.
There are about 45,000 individuals on adult criminal probation in Massachusetts, according to the probation office, which collected more than $7.9 million from supervision fees in the fiscal year that ended on June 30.
The state typically collected about $200,000 a year from parole fees. Critics say that the changes have come with a loss of revenue to the state, which generally diverts the money from the parole and probation fees into the general fund.
Advocates point out that the state is awash in surplus tax money and federal pandemic relief funds, further diluting the need for revenue from the fees. Lawmakers also added another $20 million to the budget for the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance, to offset any loss of funding from eliminating the victim services fees.
Additional Reading: Fines and Fees Violate Constitution: Paper. The Crime Report, March 13, 2022