Brief Description: Requiring a plan to establish pilot regional correctional facilities.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Children & Family Services & Corrections (originally sponsored by Senators Kline, Esser, Roach and Kohl-Welles; by request of Sentencing Guidelines Commission).

Hearing Date: 3/26/03

Staff: Yvonne Walker (786-7841).

Background:

The Sentencing Reform Act of 1981 established the SGC; directing it to recommend to the Legislature a determinate sentencing grid for adult felonies. Over the years, the SGC has generally been responsible for the following:

•    serving as a clearinghouse and information center for the collection, preparation, analysis, and dissemination of information on state and local adult and juvenile sentencing practices;

•    reporting to the Governor and the Legislature on such issues as racial disproportionality in juvenile and adult sentencing, capacity and resources issues of state and local juvenile facilities, and recidivism information on adult and juvenile offenders; and

•    recommending community custody ranges for convicted felony offenders.

In addition, over the years the SGC has been charged with annually evaluating state sentencing policies with the goal of achieving consistency between sentencing ranges and standards for the multitude of offenses defined in state law.

Summary of Bill:

By December 31, 2003, the SGC must submit a plan to the Legislature for establishing pilot regional correctional facilities. The plan must include, but is not limited to, the following:

•    a plan for increasing the space availability in local and county jails for pretrial detainees;

•    an efficient and effective plan for joint use of total confinement beds by local and state government;

•    a description of proposed shared and revised jurisdiction and operational responsibility, including the possibility of establishing a regional corrections authority;

•    a summary of proposed changes to the criminal code reflecting revised housing jurisdiction;

•    an account for the inmate population eligible for placement in pilot regional correctional facilities which includes: pretrial detainees, inmates serving sentences of 60 days to 24 months, and inmates serving terms of confinement totaling more than one year;

•    a review of treatment services and programs intended to meet the needs of special populations including drug and substance abuse, mental health, and special medical needs;

•    an estimate of potential benefits to local and county jail operators and to the state, which could be realized by implementation of pilot programs;

•    a proposed method for identifying pilot regional correctional facility sites;

•    a methodology for evaluating the costs benefit of operation of pilot facilities; and

•    recommendations for sharing capacity, resources, and funding of the construction and operation cost of the facilities.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Requested on March 20, 2003.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.