Washington State Criminal Code: A Review of RCW Titles 9 and 9A
This paper examines Washington State's criminal code as codified in Revised Code of Washington (RCW) Titles 9 and 9A, which together govern crimes and punishments across a wide range of conduct. The paper highlights surprising provisions—including laws on abandoned refrigeration equipment, laser weapons, and flag desecration—while evaluating the code's coverage of white-collar crime, cybercrimes, violent offenses, and legal defenses such as insanity, self-defense, and entrapment. It also identifies notable inconsistencies, including the absence of hate crime provisions alongside prohibitions on Communist Party membership, and critiques gaps in ensuring equal access to abortion services under RCW 9.02.150.
- Overview of Washington's Criminal Code Structure: Introduction to RCW Titles 9 and 9A scope
- Surprising and Unusual Provisions: Abortion, refrigerators, and laser weapon laws
- Coverage of White-Collar, Violent, and Cybercrimes: Breadth of crime categories in the code
- Legal Defenses Under the Washington Criminal Code: Insanity, self-defense, entrapment, and intoxication defenses
- Inconsistencies and Weaknesses in the Code: Flag laws, hate crimes, and ideological gaps
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What makes this paper effective
- Uses specific RCW citations throughout, grounding observations in the actual statutory text rather than vague generalizations.
- Balances descriptive summary with evaluative commentary, noting both strengths (comprehensiveness, defense provisions) and weaknesses (inconsistencies around hate crimes and abortion access).
- Employs concrete, relatable examples—abandoned refrigerators, laser laws, Communist Party membership—to illustrate abstract legal concepts in an accessible way.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates statutory analysis: it reads and interprets primary legal sources (the RCW), identifies patterns and anomalies, and draws evaluative conclusions about legislative consistency and policy intent. This is a foundational skill in legal studies and criminal justice coursework.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a general orientation to RCW Titles 9 and 9A, then moves through specific unusual provisions, broad crime categories, available legal defenses, and finally a critical assessment of inconsistencies. Each paragraph targets a distinct dimension of the code, and the paper closes with a pointed critique of ideological blind spots in the legislation.
Overview of Washington's Criminal Code Structure
Washington's Revised Code of Washington (RCW) Title 9 covers crimes and punishments, while Title 9A details the criminal code proper. Both titles include ample detail covering everything from fraud to crimes against animals. Among the more surprising provisions are sections addressing abortion, abandoned refrigeration equipment, and lasers. In Title 9.02, for example, the state classifies the concealing of a birth by disposing of a deceased infant as an aptly named "gross misdemeanor" (RCW 9.02.050). It is, however, unsurprising and reassuring to see that the state "may not deny or interfere with a woman's right to choose to have an abortion prior to viability of the fetus, or to protect her life or health" (RCW 9.02.110).
Interestingly, no physician or healthcare provider can be compelled to perform an abortion under RCW 9.02.150. This provision could foreseeably pose problems for women living in rural areas where access to clinics is limited, and where available facilities may ideologically object to providing abortion services in any circumstance. For this reason, RCW 9.02.150 could represent one of the state criminal code's weakest areas in terms of ensuring equal access to healthcare services and reproductive rights.
Surprising and Unusual Provisions
The misdemeanor laws against abandoned refrigeration equipment are surprisingly strict. For example, "Any owner, lessee, or manager who knowingly permits such an unused refrigerator, icebox, or deep freeze locker to remain on the premises under his or her control" without locking that equipment can be charged with a misdemeanor (RCW 9.03.020). This is one of the few instances in the Washington criminal code where specific items and rules of disposal are explicitly addressed. Even provisions related to violent crimes lack the level of detail offered for the humble icebox, making this section of the code somewhat perplexing by comparison.
The topic of laser weapons is addressed separately within the code. Lasers are often designed or adapted for use as weapons, and although a distinct criminal provision may not be strictly necessary, the state includes one to ensure legal clarity.
Coverage of White-Collar, Violent, and Cybercrimes
Generally, the criminal code is comprehensive, covering both white-collar and blue-collar offenses. White-collar crimes addressed in the code range from money laundering and identity theft to bribery and abuse of office. These are among the most consequential offenses listed. Cybercrimes are also included, further enhancing the breadth and comprehensiveness of the Washington State criminal code. Violent crimes are covered extensively, though typically without excessive granular detail—with the possible exception of the laser provision noted above.
References
Revised Code of Washington (2016). Retrieved from http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx
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