The department may seek restitution from offenders for property damage, escape costs, and certain drug-testing costs, and may freeze inmate accounts to collect it, with some withdrawals still allowed.
§875. Imposition of restitution on offenders; procedures A.(1) Restitution may be obtained by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections from an offender who damages or destroys property, steals property that is not recovered or is damaged, causes or attempts to cause injury to himself, civilians, other offenders, or department personnel, or who has a pattern of falsely alleging injury or illness with the result that medical expenses are incurred. (2) The amount of restitution shall be the actual costs, or any portion thereof, of repairing or replacing the property or of the medical expenses incurred for treatment of the offender or the injured party and the amount of wages the injured party lost as a result of the injury caused by the offender. B.(1) Restitution may be obtained by corrections services from an offender for expenses incurred by the department or any other law enforcement agency in any escape or attempt to escape from the legal custody of a law enforcement officer, the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, or from any place the offender is legally confined. (2) The amount of restitution shall be the actual costs incurred, including but not limited to property damage, staff transportation and lodging, salaries for the duration of the chase, and costs of return of the inmate. (3) The provisions of this Subsection shall be applicable to all penal, correctional, community rehabilitation centers, transitional work programs, hospitals, clinics, and any and all programs where offenders are legally assigned. C.(1) Restitution may be obtained by corrections services from an offender for the cost of drug testing when the results of the test are positive. (2) The amount of restitution shall be for the actual cost of the drug testing. D. The determination of restitution by the department shall be by disciplinary proceeding in accordance with the rules and regulations of the department. The department may promulgate and adopt, in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, specific rules and regulations governing the determination of restitution. The department shall not obtain restitution from an offender who appeals the findings of a determination proceeding until after the exhaustion of his remedies. The department shall render a report every calendar year to the division of administration detailing the amount withdrawn from each drawing or savings account, the purpose for which each withdrawal was made and the recipient, if any, of any funds so withdrawn for the payment of any expenses, other than to the department. E. The amount of restitution may be obtained from an offender by freezing assets in his drawing and savings account and prohibiting withdrawals therefrom until the restitution is paid, whether from these accounts or from any other source by any other appropriate means. The accounts may be frozen regardless of the source of the assets contained therein and specifically including any assets of a juvenile sent to him by his parent or guardian and placed in his accounts. This Subsection shall not prohibit the withdrawal of funds for the purpose of payments under the Crime Victims Reparations Act, court costs as authorized by law, and other withdrawals specifically authorized by the warden or by the superintendent if the warden is unavailable, in that order. F. The restitution collected from an offender under this Section shall be used to defray the expenses of his property damage or destruction, including repairing or replacing stolen property either not recovered or damaged, his medical expenses, his escape or attempted escape, or his drug testing. G. Any offender who is transferred to another facility within or discharged from the department shall remain liable for any restitution authorized under this Section. H. "Offender" means an adult or juvenile offender committed to the Department of Public Safety and Corrections at the time the property damage or destruction was sustained, or the medical expenses or escape costs were incurred. I. This Section shall not be construed to prohibit or limit the imposition of any other disciplinary measures upon an offender as a result of his actions. Acts 1986, No. 343, §1; Acts 1987, No. 159, §1; Acts 1993, No. 103, §1; Acts 1993, No. 685, §1; Acts 1994, 3rd Ex. Sess., No. 87, §1; Acts 1995, No. 793, §1; Acts 2012, No. 117, §1.