HomeMy WebLinkAboutCorrespondence - BOCC (002)February 21, 2023
Senator Shelly Short
P.O. Box 40407
Olympia, WA 98501
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GRANT COUNTY
OFFICE OF THE
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
P O Box 37
EPHRATA WA 9BB23
(5139) 754-2011
RE: Jail System Study and Jail Modernization Task Force Proviso
Dear Senator Short:
One of the Washington State Association of Counties' (WSAC) 2023 legislative priorities is for
the legislature to:
(1) Fund a holistic study and analysis of Washington State's jail system ($263,000 in the
24-25 biennium); and
(2) Establish and fund a Jail Modernization Task Force to review and consider a variety
of issues with the ultimate goal of developing strategies and recommended changes to
plan for and create a modernized jail system that will support and promote recovery
($395,000 split between the 24-25 and 25-27 biennia).
Washington State's county jails have become the de facto facilities for housing those suffering
from behavioral health issues. This is despite the fact that county jails were not designed, built,
or intended to care for individuals with specialized behavioral or physical health needs. In fact,
over the years, counties have had to make facility and operational modifications to better
accommodate the changing demographics of those housed in county jails, including separation of
warring gang members, increased female populations, and those with behavioral health needs.
This, in part, has created capacity issues, leading to severe overcrowding and understaffing.
Counties have already identified an immediate, statewide need for nearly $3 billion in either
extensive facility remodels or altogether new j ail facilities. For many counties, the existing j ail
configuration and footprint preclude any meaningful and permanent answers to space -related
issues, meaning the only real solution is to build a new jail.
Counties find it prudent to study the jail system prior to (1) beginning the feasibility, planning,
and construction phases for jails and associated facilities that may not meet current societal
needs, or state policy directives requesting funding for these facilities; or (2) requesting funding
Danny E. Stone
District 1
&&TO ME, CURRENT
Rob Jones
District 2
Cindy Carter
District 3
AND FUTURE NEEDS? SERVING TOGETHER WITH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ENTITIES9 WHILE FOSTERING
A RESPECTFUL AND SUCCESSFUL WORK ENVIRONMENT."
for these facilities. The requested study, to be conducted by the Washington State Institute for
Public Policy (WSIPP) with data collection assistance provided by the Washington State
Association of Counties (WSAC), will look at a number of issues associated with jail facilities
and operations, including data related, but not limited, to the incarceration of individuals with
behavioral health needs, the costs of competency restoration in jails, j workforce issues, and
other services, supports, and programming provided in jails. This is separate and distinct from
the Jail Standards Task Force, which is currently determining standards that jails should comply
with related to conditions, operations, inspections, enforcement, oversight, and living space, to
name a few.
Concurrent with the WSIPP study, the Ruckelshaus Center will convene stakeholders and
interested parties to conduct an assessment to design a facilitated collaborative process and work
plan. Upon completion of WSIPP's study and report, as well as the Ruckelshaus Center's
assessment, the Ruckelshaus Center will facilitate a collaborative process with Jail
Modernization Task Force members. The Task Force must review and consider a variety of
issues including, but not limited to, the WSIPP report, and any resulting legislation and
recommendations that have come from the Criminal Sentencing Task Force and the Jail
Standards Task Force. The Task Force must develop statewide jail modernization
recommendations and submit a final report to the legislature. For reference, the study followed
by a resulting task force is modeled after the recent process the Criminal Sentencing Task Force
went through.
Grant County Commissioners are writing to request that you support this proviso request in its
entirety. Given the backlog of Trueblood class members in jails (See SSB 5440), the emphasis
on behavioral health issues in our state, and the ongoing interest in the provision of safe jail
facilities and services, it is clear that this request is timely and necessary. While the time horizon
for the completion of this proviso is longer than we would like, we also don't want to be in the
position where we are two years down the road and wishing that we had the data and
recommendations that this proviso sets out to provide.
Thank you for your time and attention to this very important issue.
Sincerely,
BOARD OF G COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
01
Rob Jon s, Chair Cindy Carter, Vice -Chair Danny E. Stone, Member
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