SB 6445-S2.E - DIGEST

 

                      (DIGEST AS ENACTED)

 

     Declares an intent of the legislature to:  (1) Enhance public safety and maximize the rehabilitative potential of juvenile offenders through modifications to licensed community residential placements for juveniles;

     (2) ensure community support for community facilities by enabling community participation in decisions involving these facilities and assuring the safety of communities in which community facilities for juvenile offenders are located; and

     (3) improve public safety by strengthening the safeguards in placement, oversight, and monitoring of the juvenile offenders placed in the community, and by establishing minimum standards for operation of licensed residential community facilities.

     Directs the Washington state institute for public policy to conduct a special study of the contracts, operations, and monitoring of community residential facilities that house juvenile offenders who are under the jurisdiction of the department's juvenile rehabilitation administration.

     Requires an initial status report of the progress of the study to be presented to the senate human services and corrections committee and the house criminal justice and corrections committee no later than September 1, 1998.  The institute shall present a final report to those committees no later than December 1, 1998.

     Provides that the act shall be null and void if appropriations are not approved.