their work, as many courts are only open during business hours. Researchers have confirmed a positive correlation between indigence and FTAs across racial and gender demographics. They speculate that the logistical challenges and financial burdens associated with court attendance drove the disparities observed in their results. Advocates have called for transportation assistance and childcare support instead of criminal sanctions to address FTAs. Advocates note that some people, including houseless individuals and people dealing with substance abuse, require additional support and that the threat of criminal sanctions is ineffective. Warrant backlogs Some scholars contend that FTAs have led to warrant backlogs nationwide. In 2019, around one in seven adults had warrants out for their arrest in New Orleans, Louisiana; FTAs were responsible for over half of warrants issued in New Orleans in 2017. A Department of Justice investigation of the police department in Ferguson, Missouri, found that a municipal court had generated thousands of FTA warrants and used them to impose fines and fees on residents. Individuals with warrants out of their arrest may be less likely to seek educational and employment opportunities for fear of getting apprehended. They may have their driver’s license revoked and cannot access public benefits. Several jurisdictions have taken steps to clear FTA warrants to reduce these backlogs. Questions about FTA prevalence Whether FTA rates are prevalent enough to warrant criminal sanctions has become a point of contention. FTAs are most common for lower-level, non-violent crimes: primarily in traffic court. Not all individuals who receive a traffic ticket or summons for a minor infraction realize that not attending court can lead to a warrant for their arrest. For serious felonies, FTAs are relatively rare. The most recent data available from the Bureau of Justice Statistics demonstrate that 83% of felony defendants will never miss a court date. The majority of those who miss an appearance will return to court within one year. FTA rates are also challenging to measure and compare. Some jurisdictions treat a single-missed court appearance as an FTA, such that a new FTA arises whenever an individual misses a court date in a single legal proceeding. Other jurisdictions treat all missed court appearances within one legal proceeding as a single FTA. References Crimes