Maura J Mills, Matthew J Dolliver, Russell A Matthews, Leah Nelson, Peter A Jones, Marshall L White
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Loss of transportation access is likely to compromise individuals' ability to get to work. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, we triangulate across complementary methodologies to examine the far-reaching impact of driver's license suspension for nonpayment of court-ordered legal fees. Reflexive thematic analysis of preliminary qualitative interview data (N = 21) yielded themes related to compromised social mobility and well-being, with subthemes indicative of job/income loss and un(der)employment resulting from unpaid fines and license suspension, inability to afford additional fees, subsequent transportation challenges, resource acquisition beyond the formal workforce, and a desire for betterment. We build on this qualitative richness via a two-study approach. In Study 1, we draw on quantitative survey data (N = 879), evidencing a positive association between license suspension and unemployment, and indicating that this relationship is mediated by compromised access to transportation. License suspension was also positively associated with turning toward the informal shadow economy for employment, with some individuals reporting turning to sex work and crime to make ends meet. Data bore out a number of employment- and well-being-related consequences of nonpayment policies, and suggested that effects may function differentially by race, with Black individuals experiencing disproportionately negative effects. In Study 2, archival data indicated that enforcement of license suspensions is likely to result in a net loss to state revenue, incentivizing policy revision. Collectively, our data suggest that fine and fee imposition, and associated driver's license suspension, are likely to have a number of negative effects for individuals, employers, and society alike. We offer policy and practice implications related to reevaluating license suspension for nonpayment of court-ordered legal financial obligations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
期刊介绍：
The Journal of Applied Psychology® focuses on publishing original investigations that contribute new knowledge and understanding to fields of applied psychology (excluding clinical and applied experimental or human factors, which are better suited for other APA journals). The journal primarily considers empirical and theoretical investigations that enhance understanding of cognitive, motivational, affective, and behavioral psychological phenomena in work and organizational settings. These phenomena can occur at individual, group, organizational, or cultural levels, and in various work settings such as business, education, training, health, service, government, or military institutions. The journal welcomes submissions from both public and private sector organizations, for-profit or nonprofit. It publishes several types of articles, including:
1.Rigorously conducted empirical investigations that expand conceptual understanding (original investigations or meta-analyses).
2.Theory development articles and integrative conceptual reviews that synthesize literature and generate new theories on psychological phenomena to stimulate novel research.
3.Rigorously conducted qualitative research on phenomena that are challenging to capture with quantitative methods or require inductive theory building.
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