Children and Family Justice Center

King County’s Juvenile Court facility is in serious disrepair.  Fixing the building would require more than $20 million in repairs to basic electrical, plumbing, and heating/ventilation systems.  Yet, even if the building were repaired, it still would lack a sufficient number of courtrooms, meeting space for court participants and their attorneys, sufficient office space for staff who support the court, and adequate security safeguards for the public and for building occupants.  Quite simply, the building does not meet its intended purposes and it needs to be replaced.

Overcrowding and Safety Concerns in the Existing Facility

The 40-year-old Juvenile Court facility is overcrowded and lacks sufficient space for many court functions.  Furthermore, the courthouse was designed and built before courthouse security became the concern that it is today.  Daily life in the courthouse can be described as follows:

• Cases involving families and children are highly emotional and pose the greatest threat for violence of all court case types.  The existing facility is not equipped to address the safety concerns arising from these cases.
• Courtrooms and waiting areas are too small and consistently crowded, resulting in a noisy, hectic, confusing, and stressful environment for families.
• Lack of on-site childcare means children are exposed to high-conflict and inappropriate courtroom scenes.
• Lack of space for attorneys and caseworkers to meet with clients means families must discuss sensitive matters in public hallways.

Infrastructure Problems in the Existing Facility

Plumbing and drainage systems are failing and do not adequately serve the facility.  Examples include the following:

• Hot water has been shut off to lower floors due to significant leakage.
• Cold water lines produce brown water which is undrinkable.
• Drainage problems persist with water seeping through exterior walls; mold is an ongoing problem.
• Sewer gases at times permeate the lower levels due to plumbing problems.

Efforts to Replace the Facility

Although the sluggish economy and King County's fiscal problems have limited replacement options for the Juvenile Court facility, the Superior Court continues to work diligently with the County Executive, the County Council, and its justice system and community partners to explore all viable options.

The Significance of Juvenile Court

State statutes give responsibility for most juvenile justice matters to Superior Court.  Juvenile justice includes three broad categories of cases:

• Juvenile dependency cases, involving infants and children who are removed from their homes and placed in foster care by the state due to allegations of parental abuse or neglect.
  
  
• Juvenile status offender cases, involving youth who are skipping school (Truants) or who are beyond the control of their parents (At-Risk Youth or Children in Need of Services).  School districts are responsible for filing truancy petitions.  Parents may file At-Risk Youth or Child(ren) in Need of Services petitions to request the assistance of the court.
  
  
• Juvenile offender cases, involving youth who have violated the law.  The vast majority of juvenile offender cases are misdemeanors, which are lesser infractions.

Juvenile Court handles more than 7,000 cases each year.  Nearly 1,000 people enter the building each day.

Most juvenile cases involve families in crisis.  Drug addiction and mental health issues are common problems.  Juvenile Court works hard to help families in crisis put themselves back together.  This approach reduces the number of repeat offenders, promotes public safety, and lowers overall justice system costs to society.  In order to continue providing high-quality services to families, the Juvenile Court facility needs to be replaced.

NOTE:  The Juvenile Detention facility which is attached to Juvenile Court was built after the courthouse and remains in good condition.  The Juvenile Detention facility does not need to be replaced.

Photos

Here are several recent photos showing problems in the Juvenile Court facility.

Water runs brown and is undrinkable in many parts of the facility.		Low water pressure also is a problem due to clogged water lines.
Visible plumbing features also have corroded.		Ceilings have been damaged by leaky plumbing.
Windows are in disrepair.		Heating and cooling systems are antiquated and inefficient.
Cracks in exterior walls allow moisture to enter the building.		Interior walls also are showing signs of wear.