Report Submitted Pursuant to Chapter 121, Laws of 2013, December 1, 2023
Summary
This December 1, 2023 report to the Legislature from the Community Services Division of the Department of Commerce, submitted pursuant to Chapter 121, Laws of 2013, covers criminal penalty fees related to sexual exploitation crimes for state fiscal year 2023. It states that Washington courts assessed $109,885.85 in applicable fees and collected $103,515.54. Only 25% of the courts (16) that handed down convictions for sexual exploitation crimes (64) assessed any fees. Excluding King County, Washington courts assessed only 8% of the total amount of penalty fees possible, while courts in King County assessed and collected 93% and 79%, respectively.
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Report submitted pursuant to Chapter 121, Laws of 2013
December 1, 2023
COMMUNITY SERVICES
DIVISION Report to the Legislature
Director Mike Fong
v3.4
Acknowledgments
Washington State Department of Commerce
Alice Zillah, Managing Director, Research and
Development Services Unit
James Vogl, Research Analyst, Research Services
Section
Rick Torrance, Managing Director, Office of Crime
Victims Advocacy
1011 Plum St. SE
P.O. Box 42525
Olympia, WA 98504-2525
www.commerce.wa.gov
For people with disabilities, this report is available on
request in other formats. To submit a request, please
call 360-725-4000 (TTY 360-586-0772)
CRIMINAL PENALTY FEES RELATED TO SEXUAL EXPLOITATION CRIMES 2
2.0
Table of Contents
Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................................... 4
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................. 6
Fee assessments and crime rates ................................................................................................................ 8
How jurisdictions reported spending the funds ........................................................................................... 16
Appendix A: Distribution of criminal penalty fees........................................................................................ 18
Appendix B: Courts with convictions for applicable charges ....................................................................... 19
Appendix C: King County's approach .......................................................................................................... 23
CRIMINAL PENALTY FEES RELATED TO SEXUAL EXPLOITATION CRIMES 3
Executive Summary
Overview
In 2013, the Washington State Legislature passed Chapter 121, Laws of 2013 (ESHB 1291), which assessed
additional fees on the crime of commercial sexual abuse of a minor (CSAM) and other sexual exploitation
crimes. The fees, ordered on persons convicted of crimes, are in addition to other criminal penalties, including
statutory fines and jail time. Local jurisdictions retain most of the fee revenue to fund preventative efforts,
services for victims, and law enforcement activities to reduce the commercial sale of sex. Judges may reduce
some fees by up to two-thirds if the judge finds, on the record, that an offender cannot pay. Courts may not
entirely waive any of the fees. Chapter 121, Laws of 2013, directs the Washington State Department of
Commerce (Commerce) to:
"…prepare and submit an annual report to the legislature on the amount of revenue collected by local jurisdictions
under RCW 9.68A.105, 9A.88.120, or 9A.88.140 and the expenditure of that revenue [codified under RCW
43.280.100]."
The three statutes listed above assess fees on convictions related to prostitution and the commercial sexual
exploitation of children. We discuss the specifics of these fees in more detail in Table 1: Statutes Modified by
Chapter 121, Laws of 2013.
This report, for state fiscal year 2023, is the 10th annual report prepared on the fee revenue and expenditures
related to this set of crimes. The Introduction includes the complete statutory report requirements.
Key findings for fiscal year 2023
As in recent years, it does not appear that courts are ordering persons convicted of crimes to pay the amounts
that statutes require for their crimes. It is beyond the scope of this report to investigate why many courts are
not imposing these fees. Further research and judicial outreach could better explain why courts do not
consistently assess the fees.
Washington courts assessed $109,885.85 in applicable fees and collected $103,515.54 in such fee
payments.
There were 127 more arrests for sexual exploitation crimes than the previous year, representing a 20%
increase, and 52 more convictions for such crimes compared to state fiscal year 2022, a 31% increase.
At the offense level, there was a 52% increase in convictions for indecent exposure, a 20% increase in
convictions for commercial sexual abuse of a minor, and a 13% increase in convictions for promoting
prostitution in the second degree.
Only 25% of the courts (16) that handed down convictions for sexual exploitation crimes (64) assessed
any fees concerning those convictions.
Washington courts assessed 56% of the total amount of penalty fees possible for convictions of sexual
exploitation crimes. Excluding King County, Washington courts assessed only 8% of the total amount of
penalty fees possible for convictions of sexual exploitation crimes.
Courts in King County again assessed and collected most of the fees – 93% and 79%, respectively.
CRIMINAL PENALTY FEES RELATED TO SEXUAL EXPLOITATION CRIMES 4
Due to pandemic-related delays in court proceedings in the past year, some individuals arrested in the
2023 fiscal year likely have not yet begun court proceedings, which may skew the analysis.
CRIMINAL PENALTY FEES RELATED TO SEXUAL EXPLOITATION CRIMES 5
Introduction
Background on revenue collection
The three statutes listed under RCW 43.280.100 (RCW 9.68A.105, 9A.88.120, or 9A.88.140) assess fees on
convictions related to prostitution and the commercial sexual exploitation of children. The fees are in addition
to other penalties, including statutory fines and jail time. Courts assess the fees on persons convicted of
crimes who have entered into a statutory or non-statutory diversion agreement1 because of arrests for one of
the applicable crimes. Table 1 lists the statutes, the additional penalty, and the crimes to which the penalty
applies.
Statutes 9.68A.105, 9A.88.120, and 9A.88.140 describe how jurisdictions must use the revenue from the fees
collected:
Cities and counties must spend at least 50%, and up to 98%, of the revenue on prevention and
rehabilitation services for victims. Prevention includes education programs for persons convicted of
crimes, such as accountability programs,2 which provide curriculum on the sexual exploitation of people,
legal ramifications, and confronting and healing from sexual addiction. Rehabilitative services for victims
include mental health and substance abuse counseling, parenting skills, housing relief, education,
vocational training, drop-in centers, and employment counseling.
Jurisdictions may use between 0% and 48% for local efforts to reduce the commercial sale of sex,
including, but not limited to, increasing enforcement of commercial sex laws.
Quarterly, jurisdictions must remit 2% of the revenue to Commerce, with a report detailing the fees
assessed, the revenue received, and how it was spent.
Judges may reduce some of the fees if the court finds, on the record, that the offender cannot pay the fee. In
those cases, judges may only reduce the fee by up to two-thirds.
Courts may not reduce the fees attached to vehicle impoundment. Impounding agencies collect these fees if a
law enforcement officer impounds a vehicle used in the commission of a commercial sexual abuse of a minor
(CSAM) crime or prostitution-related crime or if other conditions are met. The owner must pay the fee before
redeeming the vehicle. Subsequently, if the defendant is found not guilty of the crime, the defendant is entitled
to a refund of the fee.
It is important to note that an arrest in one year can lead to a case requiring more than a year to prosecute and
resolve. This can result in the total fees a court could collect in a fiscal year exceeding the maximum possible
fees.
1 RCW 9A.88.120 defines statutory or non-statutory agreement as an agreement under RCW 13.40.080 or any written agreement
between a person accused of an offense and a court, county, or city prosecutor, whereby the person agrees to fulfill certain conditions
in lieu of prosecution.
2 Programs like this are sometimes called "john schools”, but this term is not survivor informed, as not all buyers are men. Some
accountability programs may still have titles including "johns" or "men", but it is important to note that not all buyers are men, just as not
all victims of sexual exploitation are women.
CRIMINAL PENALTY FEES RELATED TO SEXUAL EXPLOITATION CRIMES 6
Table 1: Statutes modified by Chapter 121, Laws of 2013
Crimes to which penalty Amount by which penalty can
Statute Additional penalty amount
applies be reduced
9.68A.100 — Commercial
Sexual Abuse of a Minor
(CSAM)
9.68A.105 $5,000
9.68A.101 — Promoting CSAM
9.68A.102 — Promoting travel
for CSAM
$50 9A.88.010 — Indecent exposure
$50 9A.88.030 — Prostitution The court may not reduce,
waive, or suspend the payment
1st offense $1,500 of all or part of the fee
9A.88.090 — Permitting assessed unless it finds, on the
2nd offense $2,500 prostitution record, that the adult offender
9A.88.110 — Patronizing a cannot pay, in which case it
3rd and prostitute may reduce the fee by an
9A.88.120 subsequent $5,000 amount up to two-thirds of the
offense maximum allowable fee.
1st offense $3,000
9A.88.070 — Promoting
2nd offense $6,000 prostitution in the first degree
9A.88.080 — Promoting
3rd and prostitution in the second
subsequent $10,000 degree
offense
9A.88.140 – Vehicle
impoundment fine for:
9A.88.110 – Patronizing a
prostitute
9A.88.070 – Promoting
$500 prostitution in the first degree
9A.88.080 – Promoting
prostitution in the second
degree
9A.88.140 9A.88.085 – Promoting travel May not be waived or reduced.
for prostitution
9A.88.140 – Vehicle
impoundment fine for:
9.68A.100 – CSAM
$2,500 9.68A.101 – Promoting
CSAM
9.68A.102 – Promoting travel
for CSAM
CRIMINAL PENALTY FEES RELATED TO SEXUAL EXPLOITATION CRIMES 7
Fee assessments and crime rates
In state fiscal year 2023, 64 courts in Washington handed down convictions for crimes that bear the relevant
additional penalty fees. Of these, 16 courts — just 25% of the total — assessed these additional penalty fees
concerning convictions for applicable crimes. This discrepancy indicates that many courts in Washington are
not assessing the fees or only assessing a fraction of what they should. In addition, only 23 courts received
revenue in this fiscal year, some of which were for crimes committed in previous years.
The King County Superior Court assessed and collected the highest fees of all Washington courts in
state fiscal year 2023, assessing $79,141 and collecting $37,678.46. The Bellevue Municipal Court
assessed the next highest fee, totaling $8,500. The Pierce County Superior Court collected the next
highest fee, totaling $19,822.51.
The Kitsap County Superior Court had six convictions for relevant crimes, one of which was for
promoting prostitution in the second degree and two of which were for the commercial sexual abuse of a
minor. These offenses carry fees of $3,000 and $5,000, respectively. Given all relevant convictions for
the Kitsap County Superior Court, the maximum possible fees would total $13,150, assuming the
convicted were first-time offenders. However, the court did not assess any relevant fees in the state
fiscal year 2023.
The Lewis County Superior Court had six convictions for relevant crimes, three of which were for the
commercial sexual abuse of a minor. Given all qualifying convictions for the Lewis County Superior
Court, the maximum possible fees would total $15,150, assuming the convicted were first-time
offenders. However, the court did not assess any relevant fees in the state fiscal year 2023.
The Spokane County Superior Court had seven convictions for relevant crimes, four for promoting
prostitution in the second degree. Given all relevant convictions for the Spokane County Superior Court,
the maximum possible fees would total $12,150, assuming the convicted were first-time offenders.
However, the court did not assess any relevant fees in the state fiscal year 2023.
Statewide, courts assessed 56% of the total possible fee amount — $109,885.85 out of a potential $195,300.
As in previous years, courts in King County both assessed and collected most of the fees. Excluding King
County, other Washington courts assessed just 8% of the total possible fee amount — $7,795.35 out of a
potential $91,800. It is beyond the scope of this report to investigate why many courts are not imposing these
fees.
Table 2 lists the number of arrests and convictions for the relevant crimes, the maximum possible fees that
courts could assess based on conviction data, the actual fees assessed and the fees collected for each county
in Washington. Appendix B contains a complete list of all courts that imposed convictions for the applicable
crimes or assessed or collected relevant fees. It is important to note that an arrest made in one year can lead
to a case that takes more than a year to prosecute and resolve, explaining why the fees a court assessed in a
fiscal year may exceed the maximum possible fees. It also explains why some of the fees collected by a court
may be greater than fees that the court assessed.
CRIMINAL PENALTY FEES RELATED TO SEXUAL EXPLOITATION CRIMES 8
Table 2: Arrests, convictions and fees by county for applicable charges — state fiscal
year 2023
County Arrests Convictions Max possible Fees assessed Fees collected
fees*
Adams 14 0 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Asotin 3 3 $150.00 $0.00 $0.00
Benton 31 4 $4,550.00 $0.00 $78.69
Chelan 8 2 $100.00 $0.00 $832.15
Clallam 8 3 $150.00 $0.00 $0.00
Clark 35 4 $200.00 $116.50 $100.00
Columbia 0 0 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Cowlitz 29 14 $5,650.00 $0.00 $0.00
Douglas 0 0 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Ferry 0 0 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Franklin 10 0 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Garfield 0 0 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Grant 3 1 $5,000.00 $0.00 $0.00
Grays Harbor 16 4 $200.00 $500.00 $126.72
Island 2 2 $100.00 $0.00 $0.00
Jefferson 0 0 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
King 202 66 $103,500.00 $102,090.50 $81,489.87
Kitsap 27 11 $13,400.00 $16.50 $516.50
Kittitas 3 2 $100.00 $0.00 $0.00
Klickitat 3 2 $100.00 $0.00 $0.00
Lewis 18 8 $15,250.00 $0.00 $1.50
Lincoln 0 0 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Mason 5 2 $100.00 $500.00 $0.00
Okanogan 2 3 $5,100.00 $0.00 $0.00
Pacific 0 0 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Pend Oreille 4 0 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Pierce 52 16 $18,600.00 $6,000.00 $19,874.27
San Juan 2 1 $50.00 $15.00 $0.00
Skagit 21 6 $300.00 $0.00 $13.01
Skamania 0 1 $50.00 $0.00 $0.00
Snohomish 83 23 $1,150.00 $33.50 $0.00
Spokane 67 11 $12,350.00 $0.00 $401.55
Stevens 6 0 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
CRIMINAL PENALTY FEES RELATED TO SEXUAL EXPLOITATION CRIMES 9
County Arrests Convictions Max possible Fees assessed Fees collected
fees*
Thurston 42 4 $200.00 $50.00 $50.00
Wahkiakum 0 0 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Walla Walla 4 1 $50.00 $0.00 $0.00
Whatcom 14 4 $3,150.00 $0.00 $0.00
Whitman 0 1 $50.00 $0.00 $0.00
Yakima 35 15 $5,700.00 $563.85 $31.28
TOTAL 749 214 $195,300.00 $109,885.85 $103,515.54
* Data from the Administrative Office of the Courts does not differentiate whether a particular case is a first, second, third or subsequent offense.
Second, third and subsequent offenses have greater criminal penalty fee amounts. The calculations for maximum possible fees assume that each case
is a first offense for simplicity, but if any of these offenses is a second, third, or subsequent offense, the potential fee revenue would be even greater.
Sources: The Administrative Office of the Courts, Washington State Patrol, King County Superior Court, King County District Court and Seattle Municipal
Court.
The total amount of potential fees is determined using the number of convictions for each crime category and
the fees described in statute.
Figure 1 illustrates the total amount of potential fees compared to the actual amount the courts assessed over
the ten years that the fees have been in effect.
Figure 1: Amounts assessed compared to potential fees — 2014 through 2023
$900,000
$800,000
$700,000
$600,000
$500,000
$400,000
$300,000
$200,000
$100,000
$0
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Total Possible Fees Amount of Fees Levied
Sources: The Administrative Office of the Courts, Washington State Patrol, King County Superior Court, King County District Court and Seattle Municipal
Court.
CRIMINAL PENALTY FEES RELATED TO SEXUAL EXPLOITATION CRIMES 10
Figure 2 illustrates the percentage of total potential fees Washington courts assessed in state fiscal years
2014 through 2023.
Figure 2: Percentage of potential fees assessed statewide — 2014 through 2023
80%
71%
70%
60% 57%
54% 52% 56%
57%
50%
42%
40%
37%
30% 32%
31%
20%
10%
0%
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
% of Possible Fees
Sources: the Administrative Office of the Courts, Washington State Patrol, King County Superior Court, King County District Court and Seattle Municipal
Court.
Background on fees and payments
Many individuals convicted of crimes do not pay fees all at once but instead enter into a payment plan with the
court. As they pay off the fees, court clerks code them into the Judicial Information System (JIS) and Odyssey
system used by most courts in Washington. Therefore, revenue from fees can be greater during a given year
than assessed fees as offenders gradually pay off their penalties.
The Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) establishes new codes in JIS and Odyssey. It informs courts
about which codes to use. AOC codes data in these systems to the fund account rather than the statute
applicable to the crime. As a result, separating the funds collected by the offense committed is impossible.
Once court clerks receive the revenue and allocate it to a code, the city or county treasurer is responsible for
establishing an account for the monies. Some cities contract with their county to act as treasurer for the
jurisdiction. Then, the jurisdiction must decide which department, office, or official is responsible for
determining how to spend the funds, allocating the amounts according to the legislative guidelines, and
ensuring that the quarterly reports are sent to Commerce.
The Washington State Patrol maintains data by county on the number of arrests and convictions for all crimes
in Washington. Some cities, notably Seattle, have municipal codes for misdemeanor offenses that effectively
replace the applicable state statute in the city's data system. Therefore, the researchers for this report
obtained data on arrests, cases, and convictions for crimes committed within Seattle from the Seattle
Municipal Court.
CRIMINAL PENALTY FEES RELATED TO SEXUAL EXPLOITATION CRIMES 11
Because the applicable crimes include both misdemeanors and felonies, the impacted courts include
municipal and district courts (courts of limited jurisdiction, or CLJs) and superior courts, which hear cases
involving serious felonies.
Certain courts, including the Seattle Municipal Court, King County District, and Superior courts, do not use JIS
or Odyssey. Additionally, some municipal courts contract with their county district courts to collect fees on
their behalf. For instance, the King County District Court contracts with Auburn, Beaux Arts, Bellevue, Burien,
Carnation, Covington, Duvall, Kenmore, Redmond, Sammamish, Shoreline, Skykomish, and Woodinville. The
information on fees collected and assessed by those cities is merged with the King County District Court data.
Crime rates
In the state fiscal year 2023, law enforcement officers made 20% more arrests for sexual exploitation crimes
than the state fiscal year 2022. The number of convictions between state fiscal year 2022 (166) and state
fiscal year 2023 (218) also increased by 31%. There were 57 more convictions for indecent exposure in state
fiscal year 2023 than in state fiscal year 2022, a 52% increase that represented the single greatest percentage
increase in convictions for any of the crimes specified under RCW 9.68A.105, RCW 9A.88.120, and RCW
9A.88.140.
Table 3 lists the number of arrests, cases, and convictions for these crimes. The table also includes the crime
of trafficking, which carries an additional $10,000 penalty fee. However, the fee for trafficking is not subject to
the same dispersal requirements as the crimes specified under RCW 9.68A.105, RCW 9A.88.120, and RCW
9A.88.140.
CRIMINAL PENALTY FEES RELATED TO SEXUAL EXPLOITATION CRIMES 12
Table 3: Statewide arrests and convictions by crime — state fiscal year 2023
Statute Charge Arrests Convictions
9.68A.100 Commercial Sexual Abuse of a Minor (CSAM) 56 12
9.68A.101 Promoting CSAM 14 1
9.68A.102 Promoting Travel for CSAM 1 0
9.68A.103 Permitting CSAM 0 0
9A.40.100 Trafficking 29 2
9A.88.010 Indecent Exposure 571 166
9A.88.030 Prostitution 12 0
9A.88.070 Promoting Prostitution in the First Degree 12 4
9A.88.080 Promoting Prostitution in the Second Degree 18 27
Promoting Travel for Prostitution (Vehicle
9A.88.085 0 0
Impoundment)
9A.88.090 Permitting Prostitution 0 0
9A.88.110 Patronizing a Prostitute 36 6
TOTAL 749 218
Source: The Washington State Patrol provided data on statewide arrests and convictions
The relatively high number of arrests for trafficking – 29 – compared to only two convictions under this charge
suggests that many of these cases are instead prosecuted for the lesser charge of promoting prostitution. In
addition, if an investigation reveals that the victim(s) was underage, the prosecutor may press a felony charge
of CSAM instead of a trafficking charge. Finally, an arrest in one year can lead to a case that takes more than a
year to prosecute and resolve. This explains why some charges have fewer arrests than convictions in the
state fiscal year 2023.
Over the past nine years, there has been a steady decrease, on average, in the numbers of both arrests and
convictions for these crimes since Commerce first started tracking this data in 2014. However, this year marks
the first year since 2017 when arrests and convictions increased from the previous year's levels.
CRIMINAL PENALTY FEES RELATED TO SEXUAL EXPLOITATION CRIMES 13
Figure 3: Statewide arrests and convictions totals — 2014 through 2023
1,600
1439
1,400 1282 1243 1294
1187
1,200 1131
1011
1,000
800 749
660 622
600 490
418 418
349 363 358
400
239 198 218
166
200
0
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Number of arrests Number of convictions
Source: The Washington State Patrol provided data on statewide arrests and convictions
Legal financial obligations
The criminal penalty fees that are the focus of this report are a subset of all the costs, fees, fines, or
restitutions that Washington courts may impose on people convicted of a criminal offense. These court-
mandated payments are collectively called legal financial obligations (LFOs), which have been the subject of
several studies in Washington in recent years.
In January 2022, the Washington Supreme Court's Minority and Justice Commission released a report titled
"The Price of Justice,"3 which assessed local and statewide policies and practices concerning LFO assessment
and collection, among other topics. While it is outside the scope of this report to make a detailed investigation
of why Washington courts are not assessing the maximum possible amount of criminal penalty fees related to
certain crimes of sexual exploitation, several findings from "The Price of Justice" may provide a starting point
for answering this question.
One such finding is among judges surveyed as part of the report, "a majority indicated that between 80%-100%
of the defendants that appear before them are indigent." Another is that among judges surveyed, 44% indicated
that they do not believe that LFOs are essential to the criminal justice process. Defense attorneys surveyed
also reported that "courts' LFO practices varied widely from judge to judge and from jurisdiction to jurisdiction,"
including differences in which LFOs judges understood to be mandatory.
Finally, "The Price of Justice" also noted declines for CLJs in cases where courts imposed LFOs, the average
amount of LFOs imposed and the total amount of LFOs imposed. Between 2014 and 2018, CLJ cases in which
LFOs were imposed dropped by 23%, the average amount of LFOs assessed per case in CLJs dropped by 12%,
and the total amount of LFOs imposed per year in CLJs statewide dropped by 3%.
3 Washington State Supreme Court Minority and Justice Commission, "The Price of Justice," (2022),
MJC_LFO_Price_of_Justice_Report_Final.pdf (wa.gov)
CRIMINAL PENALTY FEES RELATED TO SEXUAL EXPLOITATION CRIMES 14
According to the Minority and Justice Commission, another possible factor contributing to the wide variation in
the percentage of possible fees that Washington courts assess is the changing statutory landscape governing
the assessment of LFOs. These changes include requiring courts to account for a person's willingness to pay
before assessing discretionary LFOs, and Chapter 449, Laws of 2023, which eliminated the crime victim
penalty assessment for juveniles or, upon motion, for adults found to be indigent. However, it is important to
note that the fees detailed in this report are mandatory and distinct from the crime victim penalty assessment.
Finally, the non-unified structure of Washington courts means that judicial education concerning LFOs happens
at the court level. While the Administrative Office of the Courts provides resources like the LFO calculator and
an LFO bench card that judicial officers can reference to guide LFO assessment, the state does not provide any
statewide LFO educational programs.
CRIMINAL PENALTY FEES RELATED TO SEXUAL EXPLOITATION CRIMES 15
How jurisdictions reported spending the funds
In the state fiscal year 2023, 64 courts in Washington handed down convictions for crimes that bear the
additional penalty fee. Sixteen courts (25%) assessed these additional penalty fees. Of the 23 courts that
collected revenue, 14 assessed and collected revenue towards payment of the fees in the state fiscal year
2023. The eight remaining courts collected revenue but did not assess fees, which indicates the revenue was
from persons convicted of crimes paying off fees assessed in past years.
Eleven courts reported $100 or less collected during the state fiscal year 2023; therefore, they were not
surveyed. Researchers surveyed the twelve jurisdictions that collected greater amounts through email and
phone contacts to determine how cities and counties used the funds. In most cases, it was necessary to speak
with another department (for instance, the city or county treasurer, the police department, or the prosecutor's
office) to learn whether the funds had been allocated and, if so, how they had been spent.
As in previous years, jurisdictions were provided with a chart (Appendix A) showing the relevant statutes and
the statutory dispersal formula for the funds.
Reports by jurisdiction
Auburn Municipal Court
The City of Auburn has not yet spent the funds it collected in the state fiscal year 2023.
Bellevue Municipal Court
The Bellevue Police Department spent $441.35 of applicable fee revenue in the state fiscal year 2023 to
provide food and other basic needs for a victim in a juvenile trafficking case until detectives could connect that
person with housing and an appropriate non-profit resource center.
Chelan County District Court
Chelan County has not yet spent the funds it collected in the state fiscal year 2023.
Des Moines Municipal Court
The City of Des Moines has not yet spent the funds it collected in the state fiscal year 2023.
Kent Municipal Court
The City of Kent has not yet spent the funds it collected in the state fiscal year 2023.
Kitsap County District Court
Kitsap County has not yet spent the funds it collected in the state fiscal year 2023.
Pierce County District Court
Pierce County has not yet spent the funds it collected in the state fiscal year 2023.
SeaTac Municipal Court
The City of SeaTac has not yet spent the funds it collected in the state fiscal year 2023.
CRIMINAL PENALTY FEES RELATED TO SEXUAL EXPLOITATION CRIMES 16
Seattle Municipal Court
The City of Seattle has not yet spent the funds it collected in the state fiscal year 2023.
Spokane County District Court
Spokane County reports that due to a coding error, the revenues collected for the offenses detailed in this
report have been erroneously remitted to the state for the past several years.
CRIMINAL PENALTY FEES RELATED TO SEXUAL EXPLOITATION CRIMES 17
Appendix A: Distribution of criminal penalty fees
Figure 4: Dispersal of penalty fines and revenues from seized property under RCW
CRIMINAL PENALTY FEES RELATED TO SEXUAL EXPLOITATION CRIMES 18
Appendix B: Courts with convictions for applicable
charges
Table 4: Convictions, fees assessed and fees collected by court - fiscal year 2023
Court County Convictions Fees assessed Fees collected
Aberdeen Municipal
Grays Harbor 1 $500.00 $93.00
Court
Airway Heights
Spokane 1 $0.00 $0.00
Municipal Court
Anacortes Municipal
Skagit 1 $0.00 $0.00
Court
Asotin County Superior
Asotin 3 $0.00 $0.00
Court
Auburn Municipal Court King 0 $1,533.00 $500.00
Battle Ground Municipal
Clark 0 $50.00 $50.00
Court
Bellevue Municipal
King 0 $8,500.00 $8,500.00
Court
Bellingham Municipal
Whatcom 2 $0.00 $0.00
Court
Benton County District
Benton 1 $0.00 $78.69
Court
Benton County Superior
Benton 3 $0.00 $0.00
Court
Bonney Lake Municipal
Pierce 1 $0.00 $0.00
Court
Bothell Municipal Court King 1 $0.00 $0.00
Bremerton Municipal
Kitsap 3 $0.00 $0.00
Court
Centralia Municipal
Lewis 2 $0.00 $1.50
Court
Chelan County District
Chelan 1 $0.00 $832.15
Court
Clallam County District
Clallam 3 $0.00 $0.00
Court
Clark County District
Clark 4 $66.50 $50.00
Court
Cowlitz County District
Cowlitz 11 $0.00 $0.00
Court
Cowlitz County Superior
Cowlitz 3 $0.00 $0.00
Court
Des Moines Municipal
King 1 $1,500.00 $3,050.00
Court
CRIMINAL PENALTY FEES RELATED TO SEXUAL EXPLOITATION CRIMES 19
Court County Convictions Fees assessed Fees collected
East Klickitat District
Klickitat 1 $0.00 $0.00
Court
Everett Municipal Court Snohomish 9 $16.50 $0.00
Evergreen District Court Snohomish 2 $0.00 $0.00
Federal Way Municipal
King 1 $0.00 $0.00
Court
Fife Municipal Court Pierce 0 $0.00 $51.76
Grant County Superior
Grant 1 $0.00 $0.00
Court
Grays Harbor County
Grays Harbor 0 $0.00 $33.72
District Court No 1
Grays Harbor County
Grays Harbor 3 $0.00 $0.00
Superior Court
Island County Superior
Island 2 $0.00 $0.00
Court
Kent Municipal Court King 6 $500.00 $17,475.52
King County District
King 13 $5,516.50 $5,513.01
Court
King County Superior
King 35 $79,141.00 $37,678.46
Court
Kirkland Municipal Court King 1 $0.00 $0.00
Kitsap County District
Kitsap 2 $16.50 $516.50
Court
Kitsap County Superior
Kitsap 6 $0.00 $0.00
Court
Kittitas County Superior
Kittitas 1 $0.00 $0.00
Court
Lewis County Superior
Lewis 6 $0.00 $0.00
Court
Lower Kittitas County
Kittitas 1 $0.00 $0.00
District Court
Marysville Municipal
Snohomish 3 $0.00 $0.00
Court
Mason County District
Mason 1 $500.00 $0.00
Court
Mason County Superior
Mason 1 $0.00 $0.00
Court
Mercer Island Municipal
King 1 $0.00 $0.00
Court
Monroe Municipal Court Snohomish 2 $17.00 $0.00
Mount Vernon Municipal
Skagit 2 $0.00 $0.00
Court
Okanogan County
Okanogan 2 $0.00 $0.00
District Court
CRIMINAL PENALTY FEES RELATED TO SEXUAL EXPLOITATION CRIMES 20
Court County Convictions Fees assessed Fees collected
Okanogan County
Okanogan 1 $0.00 $0.00
Superior Court
Olympia Municipal Court Thurston 4 $50.00 $50.00
Pierce County District
Pierce 1 $0.00 $0.00
Court
Pierce County Superior
Pierce 9 $6,000.00 $19,822.51
Court
Puyallup Municipal
Pierce 1 $0.00 $0.00
Court
Renton Municipal Court King 6 $50.00 $0.00
San Juan County District
San Juan 1 $15.00 $0.00
Court
SeaTac Municipal Court King 1 $5,350.00 $7,602.88
Seattle Municipal Court King 4 $200.00 $1,170.00
Skagit County District
Skagit 0 $0.00 $13.01
Court
Skagit County Superior
Skagit 3 $0.00 $0.00
Court
Skamania County
Skamania 1 $0.00 $0.00
District Court
Snohomish County
Snohomish 1 $0.00 $0.00
South District Court
Snohomish County
Snohomish 6 $0.00 $0.00
Superior Court
Spokane County District
Spokane 3 $0.00 $401.55
Court
Spokane County
Spokane 7 $0.00 $0.00
Superior Court
Sunnyside Municipal
Yakima 1 $0.00 $16.50
Court
Tacoma Municipal Court Pierce 4 $0.00 $0.00
Walla Walla County
Walla Walla 1 $0.00 $0.00
Superior Court
Wenatchee County
Wenatchee 1 $0.00 $0.00
Superior Court
West Klickitat County
Klickitat 1 $0.00 $0.00
District Court
Whatcom County
Whatcom 2 $0.00 $0.00
Superior Court
Whitman County District
Whitman 1 $0.00 $0.00
Court
Yakima County District
Yakima 0 $51.85 $0.00
Court
CRIMINAL PENALTY FEES RELATED TO SEXUAL EXPLOITATION CRIMES 21
Court County Convictions Fees assessed Fees collected
Yakima County Superior
Yakima 2 $0.00 $0.00
Court
Yakima Municipal Court Yakima 12 $512.00 $14.78
TOTAL 71 courts 218 $109,885.85 $103,515.54
CRIMINAL PENALTY FEES RELATED TO SEXUAL EXPLOITATION CRIMES 22
Appendix C: King County's approach
Most arrests and convictions for the crime of patronizing a prostitute (RCW 9A.88.110) and commercial sexual
abuse of a minor (RCW 9.68A.100) occur in King County. Several law enforcement agencies in King County,
including the City of Seattle, Kent, Bellevue, Des Moines, and Renton police departments, have policies to
actively pursue those who buy sexual encounters from adults or children.
In 2014, King County launched a new approach to reduce the demand for prostitution by working to change the
attitudes and behaviors of people arrested for patronization. Several law enforcement and prosecuting
agencies within King County have altered their emphasis to both pursue the buyers of commercial sex and the
people who facilitate sex trafficking. They based their approach on the reality that the past practice of
arresting and prosecuting people in prostitution did not make the community any safer. Rather, punishing
prostituted people resulted in the cycle of prostitution-related crime and sex trafficking persisting. Presently,
law enforcement and prosecuting agencies are instead focusing on punishing those who seek out and
facilitate illegal interactions — the sex buyers, promoters, and traffickers.
Sex trafficking is a crime that disproportionately targets vulnerable youth across Washington, including victims
of child sexual abuse or youth in the foster care system. The crime disproportionately harms youth from
marginalized racial backgrounds and sexual identities. Human traffickers and sex buyers exploit the
vulnerabilities of youth by involving them in the sex trade. Across the U.S., the typical age of entry for youth
coerced into the sex trade is between 13 and 15. In 2018, over 470 youth between the ages of 11 and 24 were
engaged with services for youth experiencing commercial sexual exploitation in King County. A demographic
analysis of a sample of those youthfound that 73% were between 12 and 17.4 These children and young adults
experience repeated rapes, abuse, and other forms of violence at the hands of sex buyers and traffickers.
All through the process, these trafficking victims face many barriers to escaping the life of prostitution.
Therefore, King County's approach emphasizes the prosecution of sex buyers and traffickers and connecting
prostituted people to services. Program leaders assert that a reduction in demand will decrease harm to
prostituted people, reduce the self-destructive behaviors of buyers and curb sex trafficking.
Over the past several years, the Ending Exploitation Collaborative (EEC) in King County marshaled a cross-
sector transformation toward diverting victims of sexual exploitation to services and holding sex buyers
accountable. The EEC is a partnership of the Organization for Prostitution Survivors, the Washington State
Attorney General's Office, the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, Seattle Against Slavery, Businesses
Ending Slavery and Trafficking and the Center for Child and Youth Justice.
The EEC has changed norms and practices across sectors to confront the demand for commercial sex. For
example, traffickers and sex buyers in King County are being arrested and prosecuted through pioneering
approaches that have been recognized nationwide. Following conviction, sex buyers in King County must
complete an innovative and successful education program called "Stopping Sexual Exploitation." This program
is based on principles of social justice and personal transformation and is designed to help men understand
their behavior and promote their own decisions not to buy sex. A significant portion of the fees for the buyer
education program and the statutorily mandated fines assessed from buyers are directed to increase services
4 Debra Boyer, " Commercially Sexually Exploited Children in Seattle/King County 2019 Update," (2023), Microsoft Word - Boyer report
(wordpress.com)
CRIMINAL PENALTY FEES RELATED TO SEXUAL EXPLOITATION CRIMES 23
that help victims of sex trafficking and sexual exploitation, including housing, treatment and employment
training.
The EEC also seeks to shift norms and practices by youth and adults through education and targeted
interventions because of its belief that broader cultural and institutional norms influence the individual choice
to buy sex. The EEC provides prevention education for youth in schools and adults at work. Because research
indicates that 13% of calls to solicit sex originate from local businesses, and a peak time to solicit sex online is
2 p.m., employers have played an important role in educating employees and preventing illegal activity through
the workplace.
Figures 5 and 6 illustrate how King County's arrests and convictions, respectively, compare to the numbers in
the rest of the state.
Figure 5: Arrests for patronization and prostitution crimes — state fiscal year 2023
40
35
35
31
30
25
20
15
10 7
5
5
0
King County Arrests Remainder of WA
Prostitution Patronizing, Permitting or Promoting Prostitution
CRIMINAL PENALTY FEES RELATED TO SEXUAL EXPLOITATION CRIMES 24
Figure 6: Patronization and prostitution convictions — state fiscal year 2023
30
27
25
20
15
10
10
5
0 0
0
King County Convictions Remainder of WA
Prostitution Patronizing, Permitting or Promoting Prostitution
CRIMINAL PENALTY FEES RELATED TO SEXUAL EXPLOITATION CRIMES 25
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