H-4373.2  _______________________________________________

 

                 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 4433

          _______________________________________________

 

State of Washington      53rd Legislature     1994 Regular Session

 

By Representatives Morris, Long, Mastin, Edmondson, G. Cole, R. Meyers, Moak, Quall, Ogden, L. Johnson, Ballasiotes, Conway, Chappell, Campbell and Brumsickle

 

Read first time 02/24/94.  Referred to Committee on Rules.

 

Establishing the Legislative Task Force on Good-Time Credits.



    WHEREAS, The "earned early release" program within the Department of Corrections allows prison inmates to shorten their confinement by as much as one-third of their originally imposed sentences; and

    WHEREAS, Earned early release time is required by statute to be based in part on a prisoner's good behavior during confinement, which requirement the Department of Corrections satisfies through the granting of good-time credits; and

    WHEREAS, Good-time credits account for the largest component of available earned early release time; and

    WHEREAS, Questions have been raised concerning the advisability and effectiveness of the state's granting of good-time credits; and

    WHEREAS, Restricting, restructuring, replacing, or eliminating the state's granting of good-time credits potentially affects the correctional system's ability to control inmates and potentially involves a large fiscal impact on state government;

    NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, By the House of Representatives of the state of Washington, the Senate concurring, That a Legislative Task Force on Good-Time Credits be established to:  (1) Review the current statutes, regulations, and administrative policies under which the Department of Corrections grants good-time credits; (2) study the effect that good-time programs have on recidivism rates; (3) consider modifications and alternatives to the Department of Corrections' use of good-time credits and other incentives for controlling inmate behavior; and (4) estimate the fiscal impact of any recommended modifications or alternatives; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the task force shall consist of the following ten voting members:

    (1) Five members from the Senate Committee on Law and Justice, one of whom shall be the committee chair, two of whom shall be additional members from the majority party, and two of whom shall be members from the minority party, to be appointed by the President of the Senate; and

    (2) Five members from the House of Representatives Committee on Corrections, one of whom shall be the committee chair, two of whom shall be additional members from the majority party, and two of whom shall be members from the minority party, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a representative from the Department of Corrections shall act as a liaison and nonvoting member of the task force; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the task force shall be cochaired by the chair of the House of Representatives Committee on Corrections and the chair of the Senate Committee on Law and Justice, or their designees; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the task force, where feasible, may consult with members of the public and private sectors or ask such persons to form an advisory committee; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the task force shall use legislative staff and facilities.  All expenses of the task force, including travel, shall be paid jointly by the Senate and the House of Representatives; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the task force shall report its findings and recommendations to the legislature by December 31, 1994; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the task force shall expire December 31, 1994.

 


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