Sentencing.
The Legislature created the Department of Corrections (DOC) in 1981 and directed it to manage adult prison facilities and supervise offenders residing in the community on probation. After an individual is arrested, if the individual pleads guilty or is convicted at trial of a felony, the judge imposes a prison sentence pursuant to the Sentencing Reform Act's sentence grid.
After an individual is sentenced and confined in a DOC facility, the DOC determines the individual's release date. Sentences can be modified from the base sentence through earned release time, commutation, enhancements, exceptional sentences, consecutive and concurrent sentences, or alternative sentences. Some sentences have mandatory minimum lengths, and others have enhancements.
"Earned release time" allows an individual to reduce his or her felony sentence through good behavior and performance. The total percentage of the sentence that may be reduced depends on various factors, including the underlying offense and the date of conviction. Earned release time is not available for certain enhancements.
Tracking System.
The DOC has used the Offender Management Network Information System (OMNI) since 2003 to manage facilities, treatment, sentencing, movement, discipline, and other data on incarcerated individuals. The DOC's prior system, the Offender Based Tracking System (OBTS), was acquired from Florida and implemented in 1984.
Early Release.
Limited exceptions to the Sentencing Reform Act allow an individual to be released prior to completing his or her sentence ordered by the court. These include: a transfer to a partial confinement program; an authorized furlough or leave of absence; an extraordinary medical placement; an order to release by the Indeterminate Sentence Review Board; administratively earned early release time; and a pardon or commutation granted by the Governor. Certain felony crimes must serve a mandatory minimum sentence. An individual who is convicted for crimes committed as a juvenile may petition the Indeterminate Sentence Review Board for early release under certain conditions. Certain individuals are entitled to vacation of convictions or recalculation of the offender score pursuant to the Washington Supreme Court (Court) decision in 2021 in State v. Blake. Those individuals may be released if the individual has served a period of confinement that exceeds the new standard range.
A 2002 Washington Supreme Court decision, In re Personal Restraint of King, required the DOC to reduce base sentences for "good time" earned in a county jail prior to transition to a DOC facility. The Court reasoned that the DOC should begin the enhancement time period when the individual begins his or her custody with the DOC, complete his or her enhancement time, and only then begin serving his or her "standard" time imposed during sentencing. Early release credit and presentence detention time should be applied to the standard time to avoid conflict in interpretation of enhancement time and early release time, and to ensure the DOC could control earned early release credit for good behavior. The Court directed the DOC to "calculate prisoners' sentences in this manner in order to obey the Legislature's commands." The DOC modified the OBTS to comply with the Court's direction. In 2015, the DOC announced that an error in OMNI resulted in an incorrect calculation of the release date for over 3,000 incarcerated individuals.
Earned early release days are recommended by the DOC as a reward for accomplishment, using a fair, measurable, and understandable system. At least once a year, the DOC must inform each incarcerated individual of any award of earned early release days for good conduct and good performance.
Offender Management Network Information System Replacement.
The Department of Corrections' (DOC) existing Offender Management Network Information System (OMNI) must be replaced with a new system that is more efficient and technologically advanced. The sentencing calculation module must be the first component of the system to be replaced, and it must be implemented by June 30, 2025.
The DOC must use a competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) process, while leveraging existing resources, development plans, and funding. Vendor competition must be full and open, and include a best value analysis.
The system replacing the OMNI must:
Health Records System.
The DOC must work with the Office of Equity, and collaborate with Consolidated Technology Services, the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), and the Health Care Authority (HCA) to implement a comprehensive electronic health records system that: