On the last day of Amnesty Week, the Jefferson County Courthouse was bustling with people hoping to get their failure to appear warrants and debts dismissed, register to vote and receive voter photo ID cards.

Leah Nelson, research director for Alabama Appleseed, a nonprofit social justice advocacy organization, said Amnesty Week is more than just about addressing warrants, it is an investment in community safety.

Organizers said more than 100 people showed up each day to address their warrants and debts, making this year even more successful than its first Amnesty Week in 2021. Like its predecessor, no arrests were made.

In a 2018 survey, Nelson found that 38% of of respondents engaged in risky or illegal behavior like sex work, selling drugs or theft in order to get money to pay off court fines and fees. Court fines and fees often force people to give up necessary expenses like food and rent, the survey found, and even minor fees can cause people to spiral deeper and deeper into poverty.

Read more AL.com: Nothing costs more than not having money.

Nelson said people with warrants are less likely to be comfortable interacting with law enforcement or come to court, even in times of need, for fear of being arrested.

“Once people feel like encountering law enforcement could lead to an arrest, they really go out of their way to not encounter them even when they witness a homicide or serious violence and harm to the people they love,” Nelson said.

“Making it safe for people to come in and clear warrants is an investment in community safety. It sends a message to people that this is actually about the court being accountable to the community.”

Organizers were happy to help as public defenders ensured everyone who walked through the door had an intake sheet and all their questions answered.

Members of the League of Women Voters rushed people to the makeshift photo voter ID room in an effort to help everyone eligible register to vote in the upcoming election.

Jefferson County Judge Stephen Wallace abandoned his robe and tie for the week. He said he wanted to make sure everyone who entered the courtroom felt safe and comfortable.

“I was pretty comfortable and relaxed because I saw him smiling and joking with everybody in the courtroom,” Shy Green said after having two traffic tickets dismissed.

Jefferson County resident Karrie Ware, said she has not had a drivers license for 15 years because she was unable to pay many of the traffic tickets she received over the years.

Ware said when she first heard about Amnesty Week, she thought it was a trap, but wanted to make an effort to get her tickets dismissed and new court dates set to reinstate her driver’s license.

With no mode of public transportation to get from her home to her job, Ware said she was stuck in a cycle of driving to work to keep her job and then getting ticketed again for driving with a revoked license.

“I couldn’t afford to pay it, I was just having to suffer and deal with getting pulled over and getting another ticket,” Ware said.

Every time Ware was given a new ticket, another six months would be added to her license revocation. Ware said before today, she had 12 tickets for driving with a revoked license.

“I think every county should do this and give people a chance to those who are trying,” Ware said. “We’re out here trying to do what we’re supposed to do, but we’re having to suffer because of our past. It’s so hard to live. It’s very stressful.”

Organizers said they hope other municipalities will participate in future Amnesty Weeks and reach a wider community of people and build trust with the courts outside of Jefferson County.

Walking out of the courtroom, Ware had most of her tickets dismissed and a new court date set for her two most recent tickets. She said she is hopeful she will be able reinstate her license.

“I’m hoping after all this and getting it taken care of, I get my license back,” Ware said. “I’m so excited. I feel like a 15-year-old kid.”