SENATE BILL REPORT
SB 5454
As Passed Senate, March 10, 2001
Title: An act relating to the juvenile offender basic training camp program.
Brief Description: Revising provisions relating to the juvenile offender basic training camp program.
Sponsors: Senators Long, Costa and Hargrove; by request of Department of Social and Health Services.
Brief History:
Committee Activity: Human Services & Corrections: 2/7/01, 2/16/01 [DP].
Passed Senate: 3/10/01, 47-0.
SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES & CORRECTIONS
Majority Report: Do pass.
Signed by Senators Hargrove, Chair; Costa, Vice Chair; Carlson, Franklin, Hewitt, Kastama, Kohl‑Welles, Long and Stevens.
Staff: Edith Rice (786‑7444)
Background: Eligible juvenile offenders currently spend 120 days in the basic training camp. If the juvenile does not meet the requirements of the program, he or she may be expelled and spend the remainder of his or her sentence in the institution. Some juveniles can meet the program standards if given an extra 40 days.
In addition, a juvenile offender who successfully completes the basic training program spends the remainder of his or her disposition on parole. If an offender violates parole conditions, he or she can be returned to the institution for (up to) an additional 30 days. Sometimes this is not a significant deterrent to problematic behavior.
Summary of Bill: It is clarified that basic training camps are not subject to licensing requirements under RCW 74.15. The Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration may extend an offender=s stay in the camp an extra 40 days. A juvenile offender who completes the basic training camp and violates parole may be returned to the institution to serve the remainder of his or her sentence and may be subject to additional parole conditions.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Requested on January 23, 2001.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Testimony For: Standards for basic training camp should be set by the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration. Any allegations of child abuse or neglect are still referred to Child Protective Services. The Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration needs additional time to allow offenders to successfully complete basic training camp. The ability of Juvenile Rehabilitation to return an offender who violates parole to the institution is a more effective deterrent to problematic behavior.
Testimony Against: Basic training camps should be subject to licensing requirements, as other states have experienced deaths in their youth camps.
Testified: Cheryl Stephani, Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration, DSHS (pro); Steve Pearce, Citizens Committee on Human Rights (con).