We have much to be proud of

King County's Progressive Criminal Justice System

In early April, Parade Magazine featured an article by Senator Jim Webb (D., Va.), who introduced legislation to create a national commission to look at every aspect of our nation's criminal justice system.   Webb claimed that our justice system has deteriorated to the point that it is a "national disgrace," arguing that too many Americans are in prison, that our country's drug policies need reform, that we must better diagnose and treat mental illness, and that we must build workable re-entry programs to help offenders assimilate into our communities and become productive citizens.

In King County, we have much to be proud of.  We are fortunate to have built the criminal justice system that Senator Webb envisions -- one with fewer people in prison, that offers drug and mental health treatment, and offers meaningful re-entry and alternative programs.

Washington state ranks 44th among the 50 states in its rate of incarceration.  King County's average daily jail population reflects an incarceration rate that is half the national average.  In addition, King County has a fully-developed jail alternatives program that serves the needs of public safety and the needs of approximately 250 people per day who would otherwise have been sitting in jail awaiting trial or serving short local sentences.  This alternatives program focuses on vocational and literacy needs, and manages large work crews for structured community service.

Since the inception of King County's Drug Court in 1994, we have fully embraced the role of drug treatment within the menu of criminal justice options.  Prosecutors led the drug reform of 2004, where we cut drug sentences by more than half, captured the resulting savings, and sent those monies to each county as a steady source to fund drug treatment.  Those efforts have proven successful.  In 2005, twenty two percent of our state's prison inmates were there for drug crimes; in 2008, that number has fallen to thirteen percent.

King County is also designing a jail diversion center to provide an alternative place for police to take mentally ill offenders who commit minor, non-violent crimes.  King County District Court is also planning to double the size of its Mental Health Court to offer critical treatment services to cases originating in city misdemeanor courts throughout the county.

Finally, King County is fortunate to have non-profit enterprises like Pioneer Human Services, which provides critical skills, job training, and housing for inmates who are leaving jail and prison and re-entering society.

Criminal justice reform may always be a work in progress, but we have much to be proud of in King County.

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