Section 15-18-141

Legislative findings, etc.

The Legislature hereby finds, determines and declares that the right of crime victims to restitution is and ought to be intimately affected with the public interest.

The Legislature further hereby finds, determines, and declares that convicted criminals should be required to fully compensate the victims of their unlawful activity, and to that end, our judicial system should be empowered to strictly enforce judicial decrees or orders which require convicted criminals to pay restitution.

The Legislature further finds, determines, and declares that among such judicial powers should be the power of a court to order the withholding of a convicted criminal's income, or the attachment of such criminal's assets or a portion thereof for the purpose of satisfying such restitution orders.

Further, the Legislature finds, determines, and declares that the strict enforcement of restitution orders will and ought to serve as a real and meaningful deterrent to crime.

The provisions of this article are to be construed so as to accomplish these purposes and to promote the same which is hereby declared to be the public policy of this state.

(Acts 1984, No. 84-370, p. 859, §2.)