https://doi.org/10.1177/0093854817734278 CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND BEHAVIOR, 2018, Vol. 45, No. 1, January 2018, 121–145. DOI: 10.1177/0093854817734278 © 2017 International Association for Correctional and Forensic Psychology 121 THE FINANCIAL COST OF A CRIMINAL CONVICTION Context and Consequences BREANNE PLEGGENKUHLE Southern Illinois University Carbondale Growing fiscal concerns for criminal justice agencies and punitive ideological shifts have increased the financial conse- quences of a conviction. The growth in legal financial obligations (LFOs), such as fees, fines, and restitution resultant from conviction has important implications for offender reentry, particularly offender reintegration and opportunities for social advancement. Utilizing data culled from in-depth qualitative interviews with a sample of persons under correctional supervi- sion, the current research documents the nature and prevalence of LFOs for an offending population and explores how they affect post-conviction experiences. The results indicate a majority of ex-offenders experience some form of LFO including fines, supervision costs, and child-support-related fees. Overall, LFOs diminished positive opportunities for offenders by compounding precarious financial states, limiting opportunities for upward social movement, and weakening positive cogni- tive change. As research consistently identifies primarily adverse consequences from LFOs, policy implications are explored to mitigate negative individual and social outcomes for offenders. Keywords: corrections; collateral consequences; economic disadvantage; legal financial obligations; social exclusion INTRODUCTION Over 2,000,000 individuals are paroled from prison or sentenced to probation every year (Kaeble, Maruschak, & Bonczar, 2015), leaving the vast amount of those with a felony conviction in the community. In the past several decades, researchers have identified hidden costs of a felony conviction citing employment challenges, housing restrictions, and weak- ened support systems (Naser & Visher, 2006; Pager, 2007; Pinard, 2010; Thacher, 2008). Recently, scholars have also recognized growing financial consequences of criminal AUTHOR’S NOTE: This work uses data funded by Grant [2008-DD-BX-0002] from the National Institute of Justice. The opinions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the Department of Justice. The author would like to thank Beth Huebner, Elena Windsong, the reviewers, and the journal editor for their input and comments provided during the development of this manuscript. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Breanne Pleggenkuhle, Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Mail Code 4504, Carbondale, IL 62901-4504; e-mail: bpleggenkuhle@siu.edu. 734278CJB XX X 10.1177/0093854817734278Criminal Justice and BehaviorPleggenkuhle / research-article 2017