Chief
03-15-2007, 06:29 PM
http://www.nwcn.com/statenews/washington/stories/NW_031507WABprisonreportKC.1790b14b.html
OLYMPIA, Wash. - Washington's system for supervising released prisoners is too complicated and needs to be changed, a report issued Thursday says.
The report, written by the state Department of Corrections and reviewed by a national corrections organization, was done after three released convicts were implicated in the deaths of three Seattle-area law enforcement officers in recent months.
Corrections chief Harold Clarke would not go into much detail on those cases at a news conference, but said the report has highlighted inefficiencies in the department.
"We have learned much through this review process," Clarke said.
The external review by the National Institute of Corrections says the system's sentencing statutes are too complex and often conflicting, there's a lack of treatment resources for violators and that offender's supervision plans should be more specific to that person's risk and needs.
Scott Taylor, an institute member who conducted the review and community corrections chief in Oregon, said the problems Washington faces with capacity are not unusual. But he said he thinks change can occur.
"As I wandered through the state and talked to people, I found that the officers are ready to take the challenge of refining what they do," Taylor said.
The report says there are more than 17,000 inmates in the state's prisons. There are another 27,000 offenders who have been released, with 748 community correction officers to monitor them.
Clarke said the department has learned that it needs to respond more quickly to violations of release terms, that most of the violations involve alcohol or other drug use and that there is insufficient capacity in treatment centers.
Gov. Chris Gregoire, who ordered the report, did not immediately comment on it. Clarke said the report was delivered to her on Wednesday.
Gregoire is requesting $25 million for various prison reforms, including many contained in a bill already passed by the state Senate. That measure, under consideration by the House, is based on recommendations of a task force headed by Sen. Mike Carrell, R-Lakewood and Sen. Debbie Regala, D-Tacoma.
It would require each inmate to have a "re-entry" plan, including education, job training and other needs. It would also link the convicts with community services, coordinate tracking by the criminal justice system, and impose stiffer penalties for repeat violations of release terms.
Gregoire ordered the investigation in December after King County Deputy Sheriff Steve Cox became the third law enforcement officer to die after a run-in with a convict under state supervision. Seattle officers Joselito Barber and Beth Novak also died in car crashes involving convicts under supervision in August and November, respectively.
Clarke said none of the community corrections officers involved in monitoring the three involved in the officers' deaths had been punished. He said there was still a possibility they could face sanctions, but that the news conference was not the appropriate forum to discuss the issue.
"At this point we certainly have impressions of how we would have acted otherwise," but more investigation is needed, Clarke said.
"We are taking a look at the global picture of what occurred and trying to draw connections between the three incidents and trying to figure out what lessons can be learned," he said.
Corrections recently came under fire lately when it was found the department had released several probation violators from jails in King and Snohomish county jails, a practice that turned out to be long-standing policy.
Gregoire ended the practice and announced earlier this month that Snohomish County would provide jail beds for 180 state probation violators.
**SCHNIPP**
My advice to you is buy plenty of ammo.
OLYMPIA, Wash. - Washington's system for supervising released prisoners is too complicated and needs to be changed, a report issued Thursday says.
The report, written by the state Department of Corrections and reviewed by a national corrections organization, was done after three released convicts were implicated in the deaths of three Seattle-area law enforcement officers in recent months.
Corrections chief Harold Clarke would not go into much detail on those cases at a news conference, but said the report has highlighted inefficiencies in the department.
"We have learned much through this review process," Clarke said.
The external review by the National Institute of Corrections says the system's sentencing statutes are too complex and often conflicting, there's a lack of treatment resources for violators and that offender's supervision plans should be more specific to that person's risk and needs.
Scott Taylor, an institute member who conducted the review and community corrections chief in Oregon, said the problems Washington faces with capacity are not unusual. But he said he thinks change can occur.
"As I wandered through the state and talked to people, I found that the officers are ready to take the challenge of refining what they do," Taylor said.
The report says there are more than 17,000 inmates in the state's prisons. There are another 27,000 offenders who have been released, with 748 community correction officers to monitor them.
Clarke said the department has learned that it needs to respond more quickly to violations of release terms, that most of the violations involve alcohol or other drug use and that there is insufficient capacity in treatment centers.
Gov. Chris Gregoire, who ordered the report, did not immediately comment on it. Clarke said the report was delivered to her on Wednesday.
Gregoire is requesting $25 million for various prison reforms, including many contained in a bill already passed by the state Senate. That measure, under consideration by the House, is based on recommendations of a task force headed by Sen. Mike Carrell, R-Lakewood and Sen. Debbie Regala, D-Tacoma.
It would require each inmate to have a "re-entry" plan, including education, job training and other needs. It would also link the convicts with community services, coordinate tracking by the criminal justice system, and impose stiffer penalties for repeat violations of release terms.
Gregoire ordered the investigation in December after King County Deputy Sheriff Steve Cox became the third law enforcement officer to die after a run-in with a convict under state supervision. Seattle officers Joselito Barber and Beth Novak also died in car crashes involving convicts under supervision in August and November, respectively.
Clarke said none of the community corrections officers involved in monitoring the three involved in the officers' deaths had been punished. He said there was still a possibility they could face sanctions, but that the news conference was not the appropriate forum to discuss the issue.
"At this point we certainly have impressions of how we would have acted otherwise," but more investigation is needed, Clarke said.
"We are taking a look at the global picture of what occurred and trying to draw connections between the three incidents and trying to figure out what lessons can be learned," he said.
Corrections recently came under fire lately when it was found the department had released several probation violators from jails in King and Snohomish county jails, a practice that turned out to be long-standing policy.
Gregoire ended the practice and announced earlier this month that Snohomish County would provide jail beds for 180 state probation violators.
**SCHNIPP**
My advice to you is buy plenty of ammo.