HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1377

             As Reported By House Committee On:

               Criminal Justice & Corrections

Title:  An act relating to sanctions for violating conditions of the juvenile offender basic training camp program.

Brief Description:  Revising sanctions for violating conditions of the juvenile offender basic training camp program.

Sponsors:  Representatives O'Brien and Ballasiotes; by request of Department of Social and Health Services.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Criminal Justice & Corrections:  2/5/99, 2/10/99 [DP].

                 Brief Summary of Bill

$Allows the Secretary of the Department of Social and Health Services to return to confinement for the remainder of their original sentence those juvenile offenders who violate parole after completing the basic training camp program.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE & CORRECTIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 8 members:  Representatives Ballasiotes, Republican Co-Chair; O'Brien, Democratic Co-Chair; Cairnes, Republican Vice Chair; Lovick, Democratic Vice Chair; B. Chandler; Constantine; Kagi and Koster.

Staff:  Jean Ann Quinn (786-7310).

Background:

The Juvenile Offender Basic Training Camp is a structured program for juvenile offenders that provides education, prevocational training, work-based learning, work ethic skills, conflict resolution, substance abuse and anger management counseling, and structured intensive physical training.  Juvenile offenders who have a disposition of not more than 65 weeks, and who are not violent offenders or sex offenders, are eligible for the program.  Offenders who are admitted into the program are required to spend 120 days of their disposition in the Juvenile Offender Basic Training Camp.  Upon successful completion of the 120-day program, the offender serves the remainder of his or her disposition on intensive parole in the community.  If the offender violates a condition of his or her parole, the Secretary of the Department of Social and Health Services can order that the offender serve a term of confinement not to exceed 30 days.

Summary of Bill:

If a juvenile offender who has completed the basic training camp program violates a condition of his or her parole, the secretary may return the offender to confinement for the remainder of the sentence range. 

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  This legislation is necessary for offender accountability.  In some cases, being able to go through the program represents a substantial benefit for the offender in terms of the length of confinement.  In those instances where it has not been successful, and the offender violates parole, the department should have the ability to hold the offender accountable for the remainder of that underlying term.  Instead, under current law, what can happen is multiple revocations of parole C that is, the offender violates parole, is ordered to 30 days confinement, gets out, violates again, gets sentenced to another 30 days, and so on until the term of confinement is up.  Under this legislation, the department would have the ability to order that type of offender to instead be returned to confinement once for the remainder of their sentence.  It is not expected that it will be necessary to use often.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  (In support) Sid Sidorowicz, Department of Social and Health Services.