Law and Justice
Staff Contact:  Julie Murray

Juvenile Justice
Counties are responsible through their superior courts for administering the juvenile justice system in the community. The local system includes administering juvenile detention facilities, operating accountability boards and diversion systems, such as juvenile drug courts, and implementing and contracting for early intervention and prevention programs.

In recent years, the Legislature has increased its requirements for research-based outcome measures in all areas including juvenile justice as well as mandating the most effective use of limited funding through increased coordination with both the state level administration at the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) and other county health and human services systems such as the Regional Support Networks. Such coordination is particularly important given that over 51 percent of juvenile inmates are in need of substance abuse treatment and even higher numbers suffer from behavioral disturbances and need mental health care. County juvenile courts have been instrumental in implementing innovative, evidence-based practices statewide such as their risk and needs assessment tool now implemented by other states. Their success has been supported by independent evaluation. They have demonstrated that they can provide services even more cost-effectively than the state when compared with the cost of institutional care.

WSAC Policy:
Counties support full state funding for administering the costs associated with mandated laws such as “Becca” and the Hope Act for serving at-risk youth, including providing necessary county-administered human services. Counties support the increase in flexibility of state and federal juvenile justice funds through consolidation of funds and continued use of block grant approaches especially as the level of those funds remains stable. Counties support continued as well as increased state support for funding the costs of accountability boards, diversion systems -- especially juvenile drug courts -- and validated early intervention and prevention programs for at-risk youth and minor offenders. Counties support more effective partnerships with the state Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration, the Children’s Administration, the Administrative Office of the Courts, the Washington Association of Juvenile Court Administrators, the Superior Court Judges Association, and other key stakeholders and additional integration and coordination of functions and responsibilities. Counties support state funding for full implementation of collaboration requirements with state and local juvenile justice agencies placed upon the county Regional Support Networks. As a matter of policy regarding community supervision or parole, counties support a blend of supervision, risk and needs assessment and treatment services and would oppose any reduction of one of these areas to expand one of the others increasing potential risk to the community and client. In addition, counties generally support juvenile sentencing alternatives insofar as adequate funding is assured, but remain concerned about the state’s commitment to continuing that funding.