This section
applies to offenses committed after July 1, 1985.
(1) When restitution is ordered, the court shall determine
the amount of restitution due at the sentencing hearing or within
one hundred eighty days except as provided in subsection (7) of
this section. The court may continue the hearing beyond the one
hundred eighty days for good cause. The court shall then set a
minimum monthly payment that the offender is required to make
towards the restitution that is ordered. The court should take
into consideration the total amount of the restitution owed, the
offender's present, past, and future ability to pay, as well as
any assets that the offender may have.
(2) During the period of supervision, the community
corrections officer may examine the offender to determine if
there has been a change in circumstances that warrants an
amendment of the monthly payment schedule. The community
corrections officer may recommend a change to the schedule of
payment and shall inform the court of the recommended change and
the reasons for the change. The sentencing court may then reset
the monthly minimum payments based on the report from the
community corrections officer of the change in circumstances.
(3) Except as provided in subsection (6) of this section,
restitution ordered by a court pursuant to a criminal conviction
shall be based on easily ascertainable damages for injury to or
loss of property, actual expenses incurred for treatment for
injury to persons, and lost wages resulting from injury.
Restitution shall not include reimbursement for damages for
mental anguish, pain and suffering, or other intangible losses,
but may include the costs of counseling reasonably related to the
offense. The amount of restitution shall not exceed double the
amount of the offender's gain or the victim's loss from the
commission of the crime.
(4) For the purposes of this section, for an offense
committed prior to July 1, 2000, the offender shall remain under
the court's jurisdiction for a term of ten years following the
offender's release from total confinement or ten years subsequent
to the entry of the judgment and sentence, whichever period ends
later. Prior to the expiration of the initial ten-year period,
the superior court may extend jurisdiction under the criminal
judgment an additional ten years for payment of restitution. For
an offense committed on or after July 1, 2000, the offender shall
remain under the court's jurisdiction until the obligation is
completely satisfied, regardless of the statutory maximum for the
crime. The portion of the sentence concerning restitution may be
modified as to amount, terms, and conditions during any period of
time the offender remains under the court's jurisdiction,
regardless of the expiration of the offender's term of community
supervision and regardless of the statutory maximum sentence for
the crime. The court may not reduce the total amount of
restitution ordered because the offender may lack the ability to
pay the total amount. The offender's compliance with the
restitution shall be supervised by the department only during any
period which the department is authorized to supervise the
offender in the community under RCW 9.94A.728, 9.94A.501, or in
which the offender is in confinement in a state correctional
institution or a correctional facility pursuant to a transfer
agreement with the department, and the department shall supervise
the offender's compliance during any such period. The department
is responsible for supervision of the offender only during
confinement and authorized supervision and not during any
subsequent period in which the offender remains under the court's
jurisdiction. The county clerk is authorized to collect unpaid
restitution at any time the offender remains under the
jurisdiction of the court for purposes of his or her legal
financial obligations.
(5) Restitution shall be ordered whenever the offender is
convicted of an offense which results in injury to any person or
damage to or loss of property or as provided in subsection (6) of
this section unless extraordinary circumstances exist which make
restitution inappropriate in the court's judgment and the court
sets forth such circumstances in the record. In addition,
restitution shall be ordered to pay for an injury, loss, or
damage if the offender pleads guilty to a lesser offense or fewer
offenses and agrees with the prosecutor's recommendation that the
offender be required to pay restitution to a victim of an offense
or offenses which are not prosecuted pursuant to a plea
agreement.
(6) Restitution for the crime of rape of a child in the
first, second, or third degree, in which the victim becomes
pregnant, shall include: (a) All of the victim's medical
expenses that are associated with the rape and resulting
pregnancy; and (b) child support for any child born as a result
of the rape if child support is ordered pursuant to a civil
superior court or administrative order for support for that
child. The clerk must forward any restitution payments made on
behalf of the victim's child to the Washington state child
support registry under chapter 26.23 RCW. Identifying
information about the victim and child shall not be included in
the order. The offender shall receive a credit against any
obligation owing under the administrative or superior court order
for support of the victim's child. For the purposes of this
subsection, the offender shall remain under the court's
jurisdiction until the offender has satisfied support obligations
under the superior court or administrative order for the period
provided in RCW 4.16.020 or a maximum term of twenty-five years
following the offender's release from total confinement or
twenty-five years subsequent to the entry of the judgment and
sentence, whichever period is longer. The court may not reduce
the total amount of restitution ordered because the offender may
lack the ability to pay the total amount. The department shall
supervise the offender's compliance with the restitution ordered
under this subsection.
(7) Regardless of the provisions of subsections (1) through
(6) of this section, the court shall order restitution in all
cases where the victim is entitled to benefits under the crime
victims' compensation act, chapter 7.68 RCW. If the court does
not order restitution and the victim of the crime has been
determined to be entitled to benefits under the crime victims'
compensation act, the department of labor and industries, as
administrator of the crime victims' compensation program, may
petition the court within one year of entry of the judgment and
sentence for entry of a restitution order. Upon receipt of a
petition from the department of labor and industries, the court
shall hold a restitution hearing and shall enter a restitution
order.
(8) In addition to any sentence that may be imposed, an
offender who has been found guilty of an offense involving fraud
or other deceptive practice or an organization which has been
found guilty of any such offense may be ordered by the sentencing
court to give notice of the conviction to the class of persons or
to the sector of the public affected by the conviction or
financially interested in the subject matter of the offense by
mail, by advertising in designated areas or through designated
media, or by other appropriate means.
(9) This section does not limit civil remedies or defenses
available to the victim, survivors of the victim, or offender
including support enforcement remedies for support ordered under
subsection (6) of this section for a child born as a result of a
rape of a child victim. The court shall identify in the judgment
and sentence the victim or victims entitled to restitution and
what amount is due each victim. The state or victim may enforce
the court-ordered restitution in the same manner as a judgment in
a civil action. Restitution collected through civil enforcement
must be paid through the registry of the court and must be
distributed proportionately according to each victim's loss when
there is more than one victim.
[2003 c 379 § 16. Prior: 2000 c 226 § 3; 2000 c 28 § 33; prior: 1997 c 121 § 4; 1997 c 52 § 2; prior: 1995 c 231 § 2; 1995 c 33 § 4; 1994 c 271 § 602; 1989 c 252 § 6; 1987 c 281 § 4; 1985 c 443 § 10. Formerly RCW 9.94A.142.]
NOTES:
Severability -- Effective dates -- 2003 c 379: See notes following RCW 9.94A.728.
Intent -- Purpose -- 2003 c 379 §§ 13-27: See note following RCW 9.94A.760.
Finding -- Intent -- Severability -- 2000 c 226: See notes following RCW 9.94A.505.
Technical correction bill -- 2000 c 28: See note following RCW 9.94A.015.
Retroactive application -- 1995 c 231 §§ 1 and 2: See note following RCW 9.94A.750.
Purpose -- Severability -- 1994 c 271: See notes following RCW 9A.28.020.
Purpose -- Prospective application -- Effective dates -- Severability -- 1989 c 252: See notes following RCW 9.94A.030.
Effective date -- 1987 c 281: See note following RCW 7.68.020.
Severability -- Effective date -- 1985 c 443: See notes following RCW 7.69.010.