Florida Statutes § 960.17 — Award constitutes debt owed to state.

960.17 Award constitutes debt owed to state.—(1) Any payment of benefits to, or on behalf of, a victim or other claimant under this chapter creates a debt due and owing to the state by any person found, in a civil, criminal, or juvenile court proceeding in which he or she is a party, to have committed such criminal act. Such payment shall create an obligation of restitution in accordance with s. 775.089. (2) The court, when placing on probation as provided in chapter 948 any person who owes a debt to the state as a consequence of a criminal act, shall set as a condition of probation the payment of the debt to the state. The court may also set the schedule or amounts of payments, subject to modification based on change of circumstances, unless it finds reasons to the contrary. If the court does not order payment, or orders only partial payment, it shall state on the record the reasons therefor. (3) The Florida Commission on Offender Review shall make the payment of the debt to the state a condition of parole under chapter 947, unless the commission finds reasons to the contrary. If the commission does not order payment, or orders only partial payment, it shall state on the record the reasons therefor. (4) Payments authorized under this section shall be remitted to the clerk of the court in the county where the conviction occurred and are to be paid by the clerk of the court to the Department of Revenue for deposit in the Crimes Compensation Trust Fund. Any order of restitution or judgment to the state made by any court pursuant to this section may be enforced by the department in the same manner as a judgment in a civil action or by other enforcement measures administered by the department. The outstanding unpaid amount of the order shall bear interest in accordance with s. 55.03 and shall, when properly recorded, become a lien on real estate owned by the defendant.