Washington State
House of Representatives
Office of Program Research
BILL
ANALYSIS

Criminal Justice & Corrections Committee

SSB 5256

Brief Description: Revising provisions relating to the use of risk assessments in the supervision of offenders who committed misdemeanors and gross misdemeanors.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Human Services & Corrections (originally sponsored by Senators Hargrove and Stevens).

Brief Summary of Substitute Bill
  • Changes the manner in which the Department of Corrections must supervise misdemeanant offenders in the community.

Hearing Date: 3/24/05

Staff: Yvonne Walker (786-7841).

Background:

In 2003, the Legislature passed ESSB 5990, which eliminated the Department of Correction's (DOC) supervision of certain felony offenders. The DOC must perform a risk assessment of felony offenders in order to classify them into one of four risk management (RM) classifications. Rather than supervising all felony offenders, the DOC must supervise every felony offender sentenced to a term of community custody, community placement, or community supervision who:

The DOC is also responsible for supervising persons who are convicted of a misdemeanor or a gross misdemeanor in superior court.

Summary of Bill:

The statute requiring the DOC to perform risk assessments on felony offenders is extended to require the DOC to perform risk assessments on misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor probationers who are sentenced in superior court. The DOC's supervision of misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor probationers is limited to misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor probationers who:

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date: The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.