RESEARCH

Fines & Fees Collection and Enforcement In Wilmington, Delaware: Gains and Costs

A comprehensive study conducted by Stephen Metraux, PhD, Associate Professor, and Director of the Center for Community Research and Service at the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy & Administration with the University of Delaware, sheds light on scale and impact of fines and fees collection and enforcement in the city.

Download the report here.

Listen to the podcast here.

“Our report found that the City of Wilmington collects fines and fees revenue in amounts that are substantially higher than is typical for US cities,” said Dr. Metraux, lead author of the report. “Where fees and fines generate, on average, between 1% and 2% of a city’s revenue, in 2022 fees and fines represented 4.4% of Wilmington’s general revenue.”

The report also found that the City’s fines and fees are an inefficient revenue mechanism. In every year since 2018, enforcement and collection costs have represented the majority of Wilmington’s fees and fines revenue. In 2022, the city only netted 44 cents of every dollar collected in fees and fines to use for other municipal services. “No one really wins here,” Dr. Metraux said . “Wilmington’s fines and fees system is an inefficient way to raise revenue and it creates a significant financial burden for many households who receive parking and red light tickets.

The report "Fines & Fees Collection and Enforcement in Wilmington, Delaware," was commissioned by the Wilmington Team of the Cities and Counties for Fines and Fees Justice Leadership Network, a project of the Fines and Fees Justice Center.