Council calls for extension of regional jail contract and joint strategy with cities on future jail needs

Negotiations reopened for contract extension to 2014 in short term and regional integration of criminal justice services in the long term

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Local cities will have two more years to house their misdemeanor offenders in King County jails under the extension of a regional jail services contract unanimously authorized today by the Metropolitan King County Council, which also called for negotiations with the cities on a long-term contract that would continue the County’s role as the primary provider of jail and community corrections programs.

“Extending the contract an additional two years will give us more time to work with the cities to develop a real solution—a long-term strategy for a regional jail that is efficient and cost-effective for the public,” said Council Chair Julia Patterson. “This is just the first step.”

“Our recent investments in alternative corrections programs such as Drug Court and Mental Health Court are paying off by delaying the need to build expensive new corrections facilities,” said Councilmember Kathy Lambert, chair of the Council’s Law, Justice and Human Services Committee. “For many non-violent offenders with drug and alcohol addictions, treatment instead of punishment is less expensive and also more effective and compassionate. Working with our city and state partners, we can expand community corrections options and integrate our criminal justice systems to keep costs and crime rates down.”

The ordinance approved today calls for:

• Immediate reopening of negotiations with the cities in King County to extend the current jail services contract by at least two years, to December 31, 2014.

• Expansion of bed space at the Maleng Regional Justice Center, with a proposal delivered by the County Executive to the Council by October 1, 2008, in time for consideration in the 2009 budget process.

• Negotiation with both the state and the cities on a capital construction plan for expansion of both jails and community corrections programs.


• Negotiation of a new long-term contract with the cities for regional integration of criminal justice services and a strong and fair partnership for capital funding for new jail capacity, allocation of operating costs, and the use of criminal justice efficiencies and best practices to benefit the system.

“It is very important that we strengthen our regional partnerships in order to have a comprehensive, first-class criminal justice system,” said Councilmember Larry Gossett. “This means working with the cities within the County to ensure public safety, provide alternatives to incarceration for those who need treatment to stay out of the system, and operate a uniform, humane, equitable and fiscally responsible criminal justice system.”

“Working together on one coordinated regional jail expansion plan has the potential to save money and reduce community impacts,” said Councilmember Larry Phillips. “It’s time for cities and the county to come together on this and look for what the best solution will be for taxpayers and the administration of justice.”

“King County and its cities need to work together on a comprehensive, countywide corrections plan to expand our jail capacity wisely and identify efficiencies,” said Councilmember Dow Constantine. “The planning process will benefit from King County’s pioneering work in using alternatives to incarceration to limit jail population.”

“Critical issues to our community like those we face with criminal justice cannot be solved without a partnership between regional leaders,” said Councilmember Pete von Reichbauer. “Today’s action by the Council highlights the importance of engaging in a continued partnership between the County and its suburban cities to solve our region’s biggest challenges.”

“Working together as a region to solve our public safety challenges makes sense,” said Councilmember Bob Ferguson. “We face tough questions on how to best serve the region’s criminal justice needs, and it will take a collaborative effort to answer them. This legislation will help to ensure that the necessary regional cooperation continues.”

“We must keep the option alive to tackle our criminal justice issues as a region,” said Councilmember Jane Hague. “A piecemeal system will only cause confusion, costs and unequal justice for our citizens.”

A majority of cities in King County currently contract with King County for jail beds for their city misdemeanants. The current expiration of that contract of 2012 was negotiated six years ago at a time when jail population projections led the County to believe it would no longer have room to house city inmates. However, significant efficiencies in court, prosecutor and public defense procedures and increased use of alternatives to incarceration have produced lower inmate projections and available bed space.

To meet the anticipated 2012 deadline several cities have already begun planning for siting of local jails, but at the Council’s Committee of the Whole meeting on June 30 a panel of elected officials and staff from local cities supported the re-opening of negotiations to extend the current jail contract.

Reductions in jail populations over the past several years have been realized through the Council’s adoption of such alternatives to incarceration as the Adult Justice Operational Master Plan (AJOMP), the Juvenile Justice Operational Master Plan (JJOMP), the County’s Community Corrections Division, and the Criminal Justice Initiative which provides for treatment of individuals with mental illness or drug dependency along with housing for the homeless. While a projection made in 1999 anticipated an adult 2008 jail population of over 3,800, the average daily population (ADP) in King County’s jails in April was 2,380.