OLYMPIA…The House approved Substitute Senate Bill 6308 today, which will implement the creation of a committee to examine Washington’s prison and parole system and look for smarter ways to keep communities safe.

Sen. Mike Carrell, R-Lakewood, proposed the bill with the backing of the Department of Corrections, county officials, local law enforcement and several community and faith-based groups.

“This is a very positive first step toward keeping our communities safer,” said Carrell, who represents the 28th Legislative District. “The task force that this bill creates will be looking at ways to reduce the recidivism rate in Washington, and save taxpayers money.”

SSB 6308 establishes a joint legislative task force on offenders programs, sentencing and supervision. The task force will also review the policies relating to earned early release and community custody and study how and what types of offenders would benefit from enhanced training and education while in prison.

“The four biggest hurdles to lowering the recidivism of the state’s prisoners are substance abuse, literacy, lack of job skills and mental health issues,” Carrell said, “and this task force will study a new supervision structure that establishes continuity between state, county and city agencies, and community organizations.”

The task force must present a report of its findings and recommendations to the governor and the appropriate committees of the Legislature, including any proposed legislation, by November 15, 2006.

“When we come back into session next year, we will have the results of the task force in-hand, and we can look at taking the next step toward prison and parole reform in our state,” said Carrell. “We cannot continue to build prisons or even to send people back to prison. This is an attempt to look at programs around the country that have shown great prospects of reducing recidivism and lowering costs.”

The bill will now come back to the Senate for approval.

For more information contact Erich Ebel
at (360) 786-7395