SB 6834 - DIGEST

Directs the department of community, trade, and economic development to contract with the Harborview medical center sexual assault center to conduct a study of the impact on victims of the special sex offender sentencing alternative from money appropriated by the legislature. The study shall include a geographically diverse sample of at least two hundred victims whose offenders received the sentencing alternative at least four years prior to the commencement of the study.

Requires the study to include, at a minimum, an analysis of: (1) Victims' attitudes and perceptions about the sentencing alternative before sentencing and after their offenders' participation in the sentencing alternative;

(2) If victims' attitudes and perceptions changed over time, the variables influencing the changes; and

(3) The relationship, if any, between victims' attitudes and perceptions about the sentencing alternative and their current psychological and social functioning.

Provides that, not later than December 1, 2007, the center shall report to the legislature on the results of this study. The report shall include a description of the methodology used to conduct the study, the findings and conclusions resulting from the analysis conducted in the study, and recommendations, if any, on ways to improve the sentencing alternative to better serve the purposes for which it was created.