Portions of fines and costs collected by district courts help the county (our community and taxpayers) defray the costs of the prosecuting attorney fund, victim-witness program, public defender defense and investigator, the county law library, the county jail; and the intoxication detection equipment, among other specific costs of maintaining and operating our justice system.

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While there may be circumstances that prevent someone from being able to pay a fine or costs, after a full inquiry into a person's ability to pay, the law allows for alternative sentencing, including community service, credit for jail days served, a jail sentence with work release authorized, or a jail sentence after a finding of willful refusal to pay when a person is employed and/or able-bodied, i.e., has the ability to pay but simply refuses to.

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It is not "fair" to force payment from a single parent who is actively seeking employment but unemployed, while not enforcing payment from a full-time employed person with no dependents.