May 10, 2007

OLYMPIA… Washington state counties with a disproportionate number of felons released into their neighborhoods will soon get some relief after the governor signs Senate Bill 6157 into law early next week. 

The comprehensive prison and supervision reform measure, created by Sens. Mike Carrell, R-Lakewood, and Debbie Regala, D-Tacoma, will be signed by the governor at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 15, at Lakewood City Hall. 

“This is a victory for Pierce County, and really, all the citizens of the state of Washington,” Carrell said.  “The state is going to benefit, local governments are going to benefit and taxpayers are going to benefit through reduced costs and safer neighborhoods.” 

Carrell and Regala co-chaired the Joint Legislative Task Force on Offender Programs, Sentencing and Supervision last summer.  The task force’s recommendations formed the basis for SB 6157.  Once the bill takes effect in July, it will address employment and educational issues, as well as drug, alcohol and behavioral problems when an offender is in prison, and restructure the way the state Department of Corrections incarcerates, treats and supervises offenders once they are released into the community. 

“The reforms contained in Senate Bill 6157 are tough on crime – they help prevent it,” Regala said.  “There is no silver bullet, but these reforms will help to reduce recidivism, which will have positive impacts on our communities, the families of offenders, the child welfare system, the court and criminal justice systems, and state and local budgets.” 

Some of the bill’s provisions include allowing counties to participate in pilot programs designed to streamline the way offenders are transitioned from prison to communities, encouraging more coordination and cooperation between the DOC and local governments, refocusing the mission of law and justice councils already in place, and requiring fair distribution of  DOC facilities and released offenders. 

“The state is already going to have to build a new prison to handle the increasing inmate population,” Carrell said, “but under this new law, we likely won’t have to build the one or two additional prisons within the next five years.  This law is designed to make offenders less likely to commit new crimes on the outside, reducing the costs to taxpayers and the costs to victims.  Because of this bill, in July of this year, we will officially be turning off the felon faucet in Pierce County.” 

The public is invited to attend the bill signing ceremony.  Carrell added that this will be the first time in history that a bill has been signed in the city of Lakewood. 

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Sen. Mike Carrell represents the 28^th Legislative District, which includes Lakewood, Steilacoom, University Place, DuPont, Fircrest,  and parts of Tacoma, Fort Lewis, and McChord Air Force Base.

Sen. Debbie Regala represents the 27^th Legislative District, which includes Tacoma, Fife and Ruston.

For more information contact Erich R. Ebel at (360) 786-7395, or Jeff Reading at (360) 786-7845.