A-Mark Finalist Spotlight | Pay to Stay: Incarceration Fees Stifle Former Felons
The A-Mark Prize for Investigative Reporting honors journalism that digs deep, challenges entrenched systems, and speaks directly to the lives of those affected. This year’s second-place winner, Pay to Stay: Incarceration Fees Stifle Former Felons, does just that.
This year’s second place is Kylie McGivern, Randy Wright and Melanie Payne for their work on Pay to Stay: Incarceration Fees Stifle Former Felons.
The I-Team at WFTS in Tampa uncovered how Florida’s “pay-to-stay” law burdens people with massive debts long after they leave prison. For Shelby Hoffman, a working mom and returning citizen, that meant learning she owed more than $127,000 in prison fees—even though she had been released years earlier after serving less than a year of her sentence. Her story revealed a system that threatens to keep citizens tied to their past, even when they’ve turned their lives around.
The investigation sparked statewide conversations, drew interest from lawmakers, and connected Hoffman with national reform advocates. At its heart, the project reframed how audiences see “life after prison”—not just as a story of punishment, but as one of redemption, resilience, and systemic barriers that demand scrutiny.
One judge said: “A heartbreaking investigation into the broken criminal justice system, and how it’s structured to make rehabilitation an uphill battle. Impeccably researched.”
Behind this work are three seasoned journalists committed to shining a light where others don’t look:
Kylie McGivern is a National Murrow Award and 10-time Regional Emmy Award-winning journalist. She worked an investigative reporter for WJHL in Johnson City, TN and KXAN in Austin, TX, before returning home to the Tampa Bay area in 2018 to join the I-Team at WFTS.
Randy Wright in an award-winning videographer, including a National Murrow Award and two Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Awards. Randy began his career in Gainesville at WCJB before working for WFTV in Orlando and then joining WFTS in Tampa, where he is an investigative videographer, editor and graphics artist.
Melanie Payne is an award-winning journalist, including a National Murrow Award, and playwright. She has worked as an investigative reporter for The News-Press and Naples Daily News, and wrote the consumer column “Tell Mel” for The News-Press for 11 years. From 2020-2024 she was the manager of the Investigative and Enterprise teams for WFTS in Tampa. She currently works as a freelance writer.
What inspired this investigative piece?
Shelby Hoffman. Shelby is a working mom and wife in the process of getting her master’s degree, and returning citizen after spending time in prison. A Citrus County judge modified her 7-year sentence and she ended up being released in less than a year, after completing a youth offender bootcamp program for her drug-related conviction. It was not until Shelby applied for an “exemption from disqualification” from the state, to be able to work in case management and help others struggling with addiction like she once did, years after her released and paying off all other fines and fees, that she learned she was not eligible because she owed $127k+ to the state. That’s $50 a day for a 7-year sentence, even though she was released in less than a year, for a “pay-to-stay” fee for prison. Shelby first emailed our I-Team in February 2024 and said, “I have hopes to get my story out there so others going through similar issues with the courts keeping them held down and struggling to have a full redemption as a second chance citizen can feel supported… I am asking that someone please hear my story and help me make this public to get some attention on the continuous weight the criminal system holds for individuals trying to redeem themselves.”
What impact has your reporting had so far — on the public, policy, or your newsroom?
A state lawmaker filed a bill that would be eliminated $50 a day “pay-to-stay” fees. That bill failed. Another lawmaker has spoken with us about amending the current law so that people incarcerated are only charged $50 for the length of their prison stay, not the length of their sentence, which can equate to months, even years of a difference for many. Additionally, the Fines and Fees Justice Center has been in contact with Shelby Hoffman as a part of their national and growing push to put an end to “pay-to-stay” fees.
Were there any unexpected challenges or revelations during the process?
One of the big revelations during our reporting was the fact that several cases had ties to Citrus County. We began hearing from others who were formerly incarcerated, and then questions started coming up about the connections to one specific judge. While that judge said he was following state law, others we spoke with — said they were not familiar with the law being applied in that way, which tied people to a $50 a day fee for the length of their sentence — a fine that could prohibit someone from moving forward in certain areas of life upon their release. It was surprising to hear the confusion among current and former lawmakers, state attorneys, and public defenders in the Tampa Bay region about this law and how it was being applied in different counties.
How did your team approach the reporting or storytelling for this entry?
We wanted the focus not to be on Shelby and other formerly incarcerated individuals’ time in prison, but what their lives look like today, years after their release. They’re sober. Have families. Are making a living. Contributing to society. Giving back to their communities. These are signs of what we as a society say we want when people are released from prison — to see rehabilitation and people taking advantage of what they’ve learned and seize their a second chance. But few people are aware of a fee that could follow them for the rest of their lives and impact their ability to fully move forward. To visualize that, we followed Shelby to her work at a hospital, and showed her with her family. In a follow up story, we introduced viewers to Samuel Gorman, who saw Shelby’s story and contacted our I-Team about his own. He too, lives in Citrus County. We showed him working to support his family through a resale business. He fears that at any time, the state could come to try and collect what he’s earned, as he tries to feed his family and keep a roof over their heads. We often report on when people are sentenced to prison. But how often do we really follow their journeys upon release? While many challenges are known, we found this “pay-to-stay” fee came as a surprise even to those who work in the criminal justice system.
Why is investigative journalism important to you — especially in today’s climate?
Investigative journalism is important, especially in today’s climate, because of the need for truth, transparency and accountability. Truth matters. Facts matter. Holding the powerful to account matters. Investigative journalism can prompt change and make a real difference in people’s lives. Investigative journalism provides a level of oversight, digging and questioning that is crucially important when many are focused on controlling narratives that may not tell the full story.
Anything you’d like us to know?
Thank you for recognizing and rewarding impactful investigative journalism.
Check out their award winning work here.
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