Washington State's Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) has put a halt to the admission of new inmates at two juvenile rehabilitation centers, citing overcrowding as the primary concern.
The facilities affected are the Echo Glen Children's Center in Snoqualmie and the Green Hill School in Chehalis.
According to The Post Millennial, the Washington Association of Sheriffs has confirmed that the suspension applies to all new intakes, irrespective of the nature or severity of the crime committed. Secretary Ross Hunter, in a communication to juvenile, adult, and tribal courts, stated, "When too many young people are concentrated in small spaces it can escalate behaviors and limit the ability for therapeutic rehabilitation. This was not sustainable. Our facilities must be safe, therapeutic, and functional."
DCYF clarified in a press release that this decision does not imply the release of juvenile offenders. Instead, these individuals will remain in county facilities until the population within the juvenile rehabilitation centers decreases to manageable levels. However, this process could take several months.
The overcrowding issue is linked to a surge in juvenile crimes and a shortage of staff at these facilities. Echo Glen, in particular, has been grappling with numerous violent incidents and escape attempts. Earlier reports indicated that adult facilities had also ceased accepting new intakes due to staffing shortages.
State Representative Travis Couture voiced his concerns on the matter, stating, "We cant intake juvenile offenders into juvenile detention because DCYF is too busy detaining adults in juvenile detention. Thats called JR to 25. The average age of a juvenile in Echo Glen is 19.5 years old. WASPC is right, the juvenile system is for juveniles first. On top of that, workforce shortages and courts catching up from COVID backlogs exacerbate the problem. If county detention centers fill up, I suspect theyll start releasing juveniles. Juvenile crime is out of control in WA, and we need reforms fast."
In a recent incident that underscores the severity of the situation, a 16-year-old boy, charged with shooting and killing a 13-year-old girl in a Washington mall, was released on bail. The suspect allegedly fired a gun during a dispute with another group at the Alderwood Mall food court in Lynnwood, Washington, fatally wounding Jayda Woods-Johnson, an innocent bystander.
Reacting to the release, Jaydas parents, Tabitha and Jeremy Johnson, expressed their distress and concern, stating they were sickened and troubled by the court's failure to protect others from the suspect, deeming the release completely unreasonable. This incident, coupled with the overcrowding issue, underscores the urgent need for reforms in the juvenile justice system in Washington State.
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