WSR 13-18-002
PERMANENT RULES
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
[Filed August 21, 2013, 1:51 p.m., effective September 21, 2013]
Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.
Purpose: Amendments to chapter 137-25 WAC, Serious infractions and chapter 137-28 WAC, Prisons discipline. Revise definitions.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 137-28-160 and 137-25-020.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 72.01.090, 72.65.100, and 72.09.130.
Adopted under notice filed as WSR 13-13-047 on June 17, 2013.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Date Adopted: August 20, 2013.
Bernard Warner
Secretary
AMENDATORY SECTION (Amending WSR 09-01-195, filed 12/24/08, effective 1/24/09)
WAC 137-25-020 Definitions.
• For the purposes of this chapter, the following words have the following meanings:
Abusive sexual contact - An incident in which the contact occurs without his/her consent or he/she was unable to consent or refuse. Abusive sexual contact includes one or more of the following behaviors:
• Intentional touching, either directly or through the clothing, of the genitalia, anus, groin, breast, inner thigh, or buttocks of the victim. It does not include kicking, grabbing or punching genitals when the intent is to harm or debilitate rather than to sexually exploit.
Adult correctional institution and institution - A facility identified in RCW 72.01.050(2) and any similar facility hereinafter established.
Aggravated assault - An assault resulting in physical injury and requiring medical care (see definition of medical care).
Assault - A physical attack upon the body of another person. The attack may be made with any instrument including, but not limited to, weapons, body parts, food products, or bodily secretions.
Attempted suicide - An unsuccessful attempt to kill oneself as determined by a medical or mental health professional.
Attempt - Putting forth an effort to commit any infraction shall be considered the same as commission of the infraction. However, attempted aggravated assault shall be considered an attempted assault.
Bodily harm - Physical pain or injury, illness, or impairment of physical condition.
Cell tag - If contraband or other violation is discovered in an area under control of the inmate (such as within the confines or contents of a cell), the contraband or other violation shall be constructively attributed to the inmate(s) assigned to that area, unless the inmate(s) can establish a lack of involvement in the infraction at the disciplinary hearing.
Conspiracy - An agreement between two or more persons to commit an infraction. Conspiracy to commit an infraction shall be considered the same as commission of the infraction.
Deputy secretary - The deputy secretary of the office of correctional operations of the Washington state department of corrections, or the deputy secretary's designee.
Discovery - When a staff member discovers that an infraction has occurred or when an investigation into the incident is concluded.
Earned time - Means that portion of time an offender is eligible to earn for program participation approved by the classification process and consistent with his/her case management plan.
Earned release time - Means the combined earned time and good conduct time credit an offender is eligible to earn off the minimum term established by the indeterminate sentence review board or the sentencing court.
Good conduct time credits - That portion of an inmate's potential reduction to minimum term which is authorized by RCW 9.95.070 and 72.09.130 and which may be lost by receiving serious infractions.
Hearing officer - Staff member(s) designated by the superintendent or hearings program administrator to conduct disciplinary hearings.
Infraction - Commission of, attempt to commit, or conspiracy with another to commit any violation of rules as enumerated in this code. Aiding or abetting another to commit an infraction will be considered the same as commission of the infraction.
Infraction review officer - Staff member(s) designated by the superintendent to review a serious infraction.
Lesser included offense - Any infraction that must necessarily have been committed in order to commit another infraction.
Medical care - Any care conducted in a medical facility/treatment center by medical staff to treat a documented, physical injury, including, but not limited to, bandaging, suturing, surgery, etc. An examination conducted by medical staff to determine whether an injury has been sustained shall not be considered medical care.
Mental health professional - An individual with a unique set of knowledge, skills and abilities that makes him/her competent in either development, research, administration, assessment, prevention, treatment, education or training aimed at affecting the onset, occurrence, and maintenance of mental, behavioral and in some cases physical health disorders.
Mitigating factors - Factors to be considered by the infracting officer in deciding whether to charge a #328 general infraction rather than a #728 serious infraction. Also, factors to be considered by the infraction review officer, hearings officer, and superintendent for the purpose of deciding whether a #728 serious infraction should be reduced to a #328 general infraction. Mitigating factors may include the seriousness of the sexually explicit material involved, whether the inmate has been convicted of a sexually motivated crime, the treatment needs of the inmate, the prior history of similar behavior, and the source of the material.
Possession - Established when an item(s) is found on a person or in an area which is under the control of the individual(s) charged.
Promptly - To act as soon as reasonably possible, consistent with institutional goals of safety, security, and rehabilitation.
Secretary - The secretary of the Washington state department of corrections, or the secretary's designee.
Sexual harassment - Any word, action, gesture or other behavior that is sexual in nature and that would be offensive to a reasonable person.
Sexual assault - An incident in which the act occurs against the will of the victim (without his/her consent and/or he/she is unable to consent or refuse) as the result of the threat of the force or force used to obtain compliance. A sexual assault includes one or more of the following behaviors:
• Contact between the penis and the vagina or the penis and the anus involving penetration. It does not include kicking, grabbing or punching genitals when the intent is to harm or debilitate rather than to sexually exploit;
• Contact between the mouth and the penis, vagina and/or anus;
• Penetration of the anal or genital opening of another person by hand, finger or other object.
Sexually explicit - ((Means any pictorial representation that is intended for sexual gratification and shows male or female genitalia, full frontal nudity, or depicts one or more of the following sexual behaviors:
• One or more of the participants appears to be nonconsenting;
• One or more of the participants appears to be acting in a forceful, threatening, or violent manner;
• One or more of the participants appears to be dominating one or more of the other participants or one or more of the participants appears to be in a submissive role or one or more of the participants appears to be degraded, humiliated, or appears to willingly engage in behavior that is degrading or humiliating;
• One of the participants appears to be a minor, or a minor alone is depicted in a sexually suggestive way;
• Bodily excretory behavior which appears to be sexual in nature;
• Bestiality, sadomasochistic behavior, and/or bondage; or
• Depicts sexual behaviors including, but not limited to, intercourse/penetration, sodomy, fellatio, cunnilingus, anilingus, or masturbation.
The term sexually explicit also refers to those written materials that are intended for sexual gratification and describe one or more of the above sexual behaviors as the predominant theme of the publication or letter.)) Materials consist of any item displaying, portraying, depicting, or describing:
(a) Nudity, which includes exposed/visible (in whole or part, including under or through translucent/thin materials providing intimate physical detail) genitals/genitalia, anus, and/or female/transgender breast nipple(s);
(b) A sex act(s) which includes, but is not limited to, genital-genital, oral-genital, anal-genital, or oral-anal contact/penetration, genital or anal contact/penetration with an inanimate object, masturbation, sadistic/masochistic abuse, bondage, bestiality, and/or bodily excretory behavior which appears to be sexual in nature;
(c) A participant(s) who appears to be nonconsenting, dominated, degraded, humiliated, or in a submissive role, and/or acting in a forceful, threatening, dominating, or violent manner which appears to be sexual in nature; and/or
(d) Minor(s), or models depicting minors, in a sexually suggestive setting/pose/attire.
Staff member - For purposes of this chapter includes employees of the department of corrections, contract employees, and volunteers.
Superintendent - Superintendent of an adult correctional institution or the superintendent's designee.
Working days - Monday through Friday, excluding weekends and holidays.
AMENDATORY SECTION (Amending WSR 09-01-195, filed 12/24/08, effective 1/24/09)
WAC 137-28-160 Definitions.
• For the purposes of this chapter, the following words have the following meanings:
Abusive sexual contact - An incident in which the contact occurs without his/her consent or he/she was unable to consent or refuse. Abusive sexual contact includes one or more of the following behaviors:
• Intentional touching, either directly or through the clothing of the genitalia, anus, groin, breast, inner thigh, or buttocks of the victim. It does not include kicking, grabbing or punching genitals when the intent is to harm or debilitate rather than to sexually exploit.
Adult correctional institution and institution - A facility identified in RCW 72.01.050(2) and any similar facility hereinafter established.
Aggravated assault - An assault resulting in physical injury and requiring medical care (see definition of medical care).
Assault - A physical attack upon the body of another person. The attack may be made with any instrument including, but not limited to weapons, body parts, food products or bodily secretions.
Attempted suicide - An unsuccessful attempt to kill oneself as determined by a medical or mental health professional.
Attempt - Putting forth an effort to commit any infraction shall be considered the same as commission of the infraction. However, attempted aggravated assault shall be considered an attempted assault.
Bodily harm - Physical pain or injury, illness, or impairment of physical condition.
Cell tag - If contraband or other violation is discovered in an area under control of the inmate (such as within the confines or contents of a cell), the contraband or other violation shall be constructively attributed to the inmate(s) assigned to that area, unless the inmate(s) can establish a lack of involvement in the infraction at the disciplinary hearing.
Conspiracy - An agreement between two or more persons to commit an infraction. Conspiracy to commit an infraction shall be considered the same as commission of the infraction.
Deputy secretary - The deputy secretary of the office of correctional operations of the Washington state department of corrections, or the deputy secretary's designee.
Discovery - When a staff member discovers that an infraction has occurred or when an investigation into the incident is concluded.
Earned time - Means that portion of time an offender is eligible to earn for program participation approved by the classification process and consistent with his/her case management plan.
Earned release time - Means the combined earned time and good conduct time credit an offender is eligible to earn off the minimum term established by the indeterminate sentence review board or the sentencing court.
Good conduct time credits - That portion of an inmate's potential reduction to minimum term which is authorized by RCW 9.95.070 and 72.09.130 and which may be lost by receiving serious infractions.
Hearing officer - Staff member(s) designated by the superintendent to conduct disciplinary hearings.
Infraction - Commission of, attempt to commit, or conspiracy with another to commit any violation of prison rules as enumerated in this code. Aiding or abetting another to commit an infraction will be considered the same as commission of the infraction.
Infraction review officer - Staff member(s) designated by the superintendent to review a serious infraction.
Lesser included offense - Any infraction that must necessarily have been committed in order to commit another infraction.
Medical care - Any care conducted in a medical facility/treatment center by medical staff to treat a documented, physical injury, including, but not limited to bandaging, suturing, surgery, etc. An examination conducted by medical staff to determine whether an injury has been sustained shall not be considered medical care.
Mental health professional - An individual with a unique set of knowledge, skills and abilities that makes him/her competent in either development, research, administration, assessment, prevention, treatment, education or training aimed at effecting the onset, occurrence, and maintenance of mental, behavioral and in some cases physical health disorders.
Mitigating factors - Factors to be considered by the infracting officer in deciding whether to charge a #328 general infraction rather than a #728 serious infraction. Also, factors to be considered by the infraction review officer, hearings officer, and superintendent for the purpose of deciding whether a #728 serious infraction should be reduced to a #328 general infraction. Mitigating factors may include the seriousness of the sexually explicit material involved, whether the inmate has been convicted of a sexually motivated crime, the treatment needs of the inmate, the prior history of similar behavior, and the source of the material.
Possession - Established when an item(s) is found on a person or in an area which is under the control of the individual(s) charged.
Promptly - To act as soon as reasonably possible, consistent with institutional goals of safety, security, and rehabilitation.
Secretary - The secretary of the Washington state department of corrections, or the secretary's designee.
Sexual harassment - Any word, action, gesture or other behavior that is sexual in nature and that would be offensive to a reasonable person.
Sexually explicit - ((Means any pictorial representation that is intended for sexual gratification and shows male or female genitalia, full frontal nudity, or depicts one or more of the following sexual behaviors:
• One or more of the participants appears to be nonconsenting;
• One or more of the participants appears to be acting in a forceful, threatening, or violent manner;
• One or more of the participants appears to be dominating one or more of the other participants or one or more of the participants appears to be in a submissive role or one or more of the participants appears to be degraded, humiliated, or appears to willingly engage in behavior that is degrading or humiliating;
• One of the participants appears to be a minor, or a minor alone is depicted in a sexually suggestive way;
• Bodily excretory behavior which appears to be sexual in nature;
• Bestiality, sadomasochistic behavior, and/or bondage; or
• Depicts sexual behaviors including, but not limited to, intercourse/penetration, sodomy, fellatio, cunnilingus, anilingus, or masturbation.
The term sexually explicit also refers to those written materials that are intended for sexual gratification and describe one or more of the above sexual behaviors as the predominant theme of the publication or letter.)) Materials consist of any item displaying, portraying, depicting, or describing:
(a) Nudity, which includes exposed/visible (in whole or part, including under or through translucent/thin materials providing intimate physical detail) genitals/genitalia, anus, and/or female/transgender breast nipple(s);
(b) A sex act(s) which includes, but is not limited to, genital-genital, oral-genital, anal-genital, or oral-anal contact/penetration, genital or anal contact/penetration with an inanimate object, masturbation, sadistic/masochistic abuse, bondage, bestiality, and/or bodily excretory behavior which appears to be sexual in nature;
(c) A participant(s) who appears to be nonconsenting, dominated, degraded, humiliated, or in a submissive role, and/or acting in a forceful, threatening, dominating, or violent manner which appears to be sexual in nature; and/or
(d) Minor(s), or models depicting minors, in a sexually suggestive setting/pose/attire.
Staff member - For purposes of this chapter includes employees of the department of corrections, contract employees, and volunteers.
Superintendent - Superintendent of an adult correctional institution or the superintendent's designee.
Working days - Monday through Friday, excluding weekends and holidays.