HOUSE BILL REPORT
HB 1803
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in
their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a
statement of legislative intent.
As Reported by House Committee On:
Human Services
Title: An act relating to specific juvenile reentry programs.
Brief Description: Addressing specific juvenile reentry programs.
Sponsors: Representatives Dickerson, Darneille, Roberts, McCoy, Appleton, Kenney and Santos.
Brief History:
Human Services: 2/6/07, 2/8/07 [DP].
Brief Summary of Bill |
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HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES
Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 8 members: Representatives Dickerson, Chair; Roberts, Vice Chair; Ahern, Ranking Minority Member; Walsh, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Bailey, Darneille, McCoy and O'Brien.
Staff: Sonja Hallum (786-7092).
Background:
A juvenile convicted of a sex offense may receive a commitment sentence in a Juvenile
Rehabilitation Administration (JRA) facility or the juvenile may receive a sentence within the
local community if he or she is found amenable to treatment.
If the juvenile is sentenced to a JRA commitment, he or she will spend the sentence confined
in a JRA facility. Once the offender has completed his or her sentence, the offender is
released from the facility and is placed on a period of parole supervision.
If the juvenile does not have any prior sex offense history, the offense is not a serious violent
offense, and the juvenile has had an evaluation that indicates he or she is amenable to
treatment, the court may impose the standard range sentence and suspend the sentence on
condition the offender comply with all the terms and conditions of the Special Sex Offender
Disposition Alternative (SSODA). The offender is placed on supervision for a period of at
least two years and may spend up to 30 days in confinement. After the 30 days in
confinement, the juvenile may return to the family home under conditions of supervision.
In the case of either a juvenile who is released from a JRA facility or a juvenile in the
SSODA program, the juvenile may return to the family home. If the victim was a family
member, the victim may be residing in the same home as the offender.
Summary of Bill:
Pilot Program:
The Department of Social and Health Services (Department) is required to develop a pilot
program to develop best practices for the successful reintegration of sex offenders into the
family and community, particularly when the offender and victim are members of the same
family.
The pilot program will consist of three pilot sites to be selected based on criteria established
by the offender reentry work group which is organized by the Department. The pilot program
sites will implement the service model, protocols, and guidelines developed by the work
group.
The effectiveness of the pilot program will be evaluated by the Washington State Institute for
Public Policy (WSIPP) and will be compared to similar sites that have not implemented a
program targeted at this population.
Work Group:
By September 1, 2007, the Department is required to convene an offender reentry workgroup.
The workgroup will develop the criteria for the pilot program and will establish a service
model, protocols, and guidelines for the provision of services to juvenile sex offenders, their
victims, and families in situations in which the offender and victim are members of the same
family.
The workgroup will establish the outcome measures to evaluate the effectiveness of the
program. The workgroup will also report recommendations to the Department for any
changes in the service model or guidelines based on the outcomes from the pilot program.
Washington State Institute for Public Policy:
The WSIPP is required to conduct research and prepare the following:
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony:
(In support) This bill deals with the situation in which a juvenile sex offender is returning to
the same home as the victim who is a family member. This bill comes from the crime victim
advocates who are looking for better ways to deal with these situations and protect the
victims. The parents in these situations are torn between one child who is an offender and
one child who is the victim. They often have to find another place for the offender child to
live, but there are very few options available. The offender child ends up in detention waiting
for the case to be decided. He can spend up to a year waiting and this is time that he does not
receive treatment, but it is credited against his sentence. Both the JRA and child welfare are
trying to do the right thing, but families end up in the middle. We generally do a good job of
reintegrating juvenile sex offenders into the community. This is one area that still needs
improvement.
(Opposed) None.
Persons Testifying: Representative Dickerson, prime sponsor; Christi Hurt, Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs; Bev Emery, Office of Crime Victims Advocacy; Erin Palmer and Logan Micheel, King County Sexual Assault Resource Center; and Joe Jensen, Ph.D.