HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 2807

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                         Corrections

Title:  An act relating to juvenile offender facilities.

Brief Description:  Requiring additional emergency bed capacity for juvenile offenders.

Sponsors:  Representatives Ogden, Long, Wineberry, Moak, Grant, Bray, Cooke, Morris, Johanson, Jones, Lemmon, J. Kohl, Conway, Karahalios, Springer and L. Johnson.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Corrections, February 3, 1994, DP.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON CORRECTIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 8 members:  Representatives Morris, Chair; Mastin, Vice Chair; Long, Ranking Minority Member; Edmondson, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; G. Cole; L. Johnson; Moak and Padden.

Staff:  Kristen Lichtenberg (786-7156).

Background:  The number of juveniles admitted to the Division of Juvenile Rehabilitation (DJR) continues to increase.  In particular, admission of violent offenders is increasing.  DJR's most recent statistics indicate significant growth in the number of sex offenders committed.  Despite these trends and forecasts, DJR's number of maximum security beds has remained unchanged since 1977.  Although DJR has added beds each biennium, all the growth has been at the medium and minimum security levels.

Summary of Bill:

Master Plan

By the end of 1994, the Department of Social and Health Services shall develop a master plan to meet the department's projected confinement and rehabilitation needs beyond 1995.

Emergency Plan

By the end of 1994, the department must develop emergency capacity of 150 beds for juvenile offenders.  All the beds must be medium or maximum security.  Additionally, the department must develop an inpatient substance abuse treatment program.  The beds required by the treatment program may be included in the 150 new emergency beds.

Fiscal Note:  Requested January 26, 1994.

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

Testimony For:  The department generally supports the bill, but considers the exact number of emergency beds required by the bill to be unclear. 

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Rick Benoit, Toughlove Northwest, Tacoma Parent Support Group (pro); and Sid Sidorowicz, Department of Social and Health Services Division of Juvenile Rehabilitation (con).