§ 15-23-17 — Assessment of Additional Costs and Penalties; Collection and Disposition of Additional Assessments, Etc

(a) In all criminal and quasi-criminal proceedings for the violation of laws of the state or municipal ordinances which are tried in any court or tribunal in this state, wherein the defendant is adjudged guilty or pleads guilty, or is adjudicated a juvenile delinquent or youthful offender, or wherein a bond is forfeited and the result of the forfeiture is a final disposition of the case or wherein any penalty is imposed, there is imposed an additional cost of court in the amount of two dollars ($2) for each traffic infraction, ten dollars ($10) in each proceeding where the offense constitutes a misdemeanor and/or a violation of a municipal ordinance other than traffic infractions, and fifteen dollars ($15) in each proceeding where the offense constitutes a felony , but there shall be no additional costs imposed for violations relating to parking of vehicles.
The amount of all costs shall be remitted by the person or authority collecting the costs to the chair of the commission on the tenth day of each month next succeeding that in which the cost is paid. It shall be the duty of the clerk or other authority collecting the court costs to keep accurate records of the amounts due the commission for the benefit of the fund under this section.
(b) In addition to the imposition of any other costs, penalties, or fines imposed pursuant to law, any person convicted or pleading guilty to a felony or a misdemeanor or a violation for which the person is adjudicated a juvenile delinquent, or a youthful offender, shall be ordered to pay a victim compensation assessment of not less than fifty dollars ($50), nor more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000), for each felony for which the person was convicted or adjudicated and not less than twenty-five dollars ($25), nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), for each misdemeanor or violation for which the person was convicted, adjudicated, or otherwise disposed of when the court orders that costs be paid. In imposing this penalty, the court shall consider factors such as the severity of the crime, the prior criminal record, and the ability of the defendant to pay, as well as the economic impact of the victim compensation assessment on the dependents of the defendant. Any person adjudicated a juvenile delinquent shall be ordered to pay a victim compensation assessment of not less than twenty-five dollars ($25), nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), for each adjudication, regardless of the underlying charge, but the assessment or penalty authorized by this subsection shall not be assessed or collected for any conservation, forestry, or water safety offense, nor any traffic offense, except those that are punishable as a felony offense or involve the operation or actual physical control of any vehicle while intoxicated or under the influence of drugs, or reckless driving. If a court fails to specifically impose an assessment required by this section, the clerk of court shall automatically assess a victim compensation assessment in the minimum amount provided herein. The additional assessment or penalty shall be collected by the clerk of court insuring that the first twenty-five dollars ($25) of each felony assessment and twelve dollars and fifty cents ($12.50) of each misdemeanor assessment shall be promptly paid over to the commission. The second twenty-five dollars ($25) of each felony assessment and twelve dollars and fifty cents ($12.50) of each misdemeanor assessment shall be promptly paid to the Office of Prosecution Services. Any victim assessment fees ordered above the minimum shall be paid to the commission fund.
(c) The Office of Prosecution Services shall create a Victim Services Fund and the assessments received by the Office of Prosecution Services shall be deposited into the Victim Services Fund. The funds received by the Office of Prosecution Services shall be distributed by the Executive Committee of the Alabama District Attorneys Association to the various district attorneys’ offices to employ a minimum of one full-time victim service officer in each circuit and to provide other direct services to victims as needed.

Legislative History

(Acts 1984, No. 84-658, p. 1308, §17; Acts 1986, No. 86-510, p. 510, §5; Acts 1990, No. 90-470, p. 677, §6; Acts 1995, No. 95-494, p. 994, §4.)