Brief Description: Revising partial confinement options for certain drug offenders.

Sponsors: Representatives Kagi, O'Brien, Upthegrove, Appleton, Nixon, Chase, Kenney, Roberts, Dickerson, McDonald, Wood and Darneille.

Hearing Date: 2/22/05

Staff: Yvonne Walker (786-7841).

Background:

Partial confinement is defined as confinement for no more than one-year in a facility operated or utilized under contract by local or state government. An offender sentenced to a term of partial confinement must be confined in the facility for at least eight hours per day or for a substantial portion of each day with the balance of the day spent in the community. The offender must be required as a condition of partial confinement to report to the facility at designated times. During the period of partial confinement, an offender may be required to comply with crime-related prohibitions and affirmative conditions imposed by the court or the Department of Corrections (DOC). Partial confinement includes work release, home detention, work crew, and a combination of work crew and home detention.

The DOC may convert the last six months of an offender's sentence to partial confinement to aid the offender in finding work and reestablishing himself or herself in the community.

Summary of Bill:

The definition of partial confinement is expanded to include residential chemical dependency treatment.

The DOC may convert the last 12 months of an offender's sentence to partial confinement to aid the offender in finding work and reestablishing himself or herself in the community.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Requested on February 16, 2005.

Effective Date: The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect on July 1, 2005.