The Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families announced the transfer of 43 young adult sentences from a juvenile facility to the Department of Corrections.
Due to overcrowding and safety concerns, the department announced a suspension of intake at two juvenile facilities, the Green Hill School and the Echo Glen Children’s Center, just one week before the news.
According to DCYF, Green Hill was 30% over capacity, while Echo Glen was housing 236 people when it could only accommodate 180.
The security risks associated with overcrowded facilities have rendered our current situation untenable, as DCYF Secretary Ross Hunter stated in a news release. “We have to prioritize the safety of young people and staff, and it is safer for everyone when we have capacity levels that promote rehabilitation.”
According to the DCYF, all of the transferred young men were over 21 and would have been transferred at 25 based on their sentences.
However, in response to Hunter, the Superior Court Judges’ Association maintains that, while congestion is acute, it is preventable and did not occur overnight.
According to the letter, changes in state law that broaden juvenile care have been in effect since 2018; during that period, the agency closed a juvenile center for men aged 16 to 25. The SCJA alleged that this contributed to the overcrowding, resulting in numerous safety concerns at Echo Glen and Green Hill Schools.
The letter also alleged that the move violated the department’s statutory obligations.
“The Department’s pronouncement is completely at odds with its legal obligations, and this decision places an undue burden on counties with limited resources for these young people,” writes the letter’s author.
According to state law, these convicts should remain in a juvenile facility until they are 25.
The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs praised DCYF’s actions, saying they “encourage the state to find constructive solutions as soon as possible.”
According to DCYF, the department is actively working to open a small, medium-security institution for young people, but there is no specific start date.