Also, some downtown buildings are not open to the public due to a project to close the Administration Building and relocate the agencies affected. Office Address: We believe that criminalization and ostracization are ineffective deterrents to unproductive behaviors and that the carceral systempolicing, jail, and state supervisionfurther harms people who have already been negatively impacted by trauma. Of the 28 young people incarcerated in King County on March 4, nearly half were charged as adults for first-degree assault, attempted murder, or murder charges; they will move to adult detention centers after their 18th birthdays. We collaborate with families, schools, the court system, correctional center staff, religious institutions, policy makers, and community members to support adolescent youth of color. But his push to cut funding to the Sheriffs Office brought immediate pushback from Sheriff Mitzi Johanknecht, whose office said she was not consulted. 4) Bring your own professional skills to the group whether you are a service provider, lawyer, mental health professional, emergency responder, parent, partner, teacher the list is endless. , Making Diversion Programs More Culturally Responsive. None of these resources are provided to the victims of crimes in the traditional justice system. According to Nance, his department plans to convene a work group including judges, counselors, prosecutors, and young people themselves to outline the countys next steps, but the timeline for closing or transforming the jail on Alder Street is still unknown. Some money would also be shifted toward youth marijuana-prevention programs. Karen Pillar, director of policy for youth legal services office, cited stats from the last time the state studied recidivism rates for incarcerated youth. , The FIRS Center is a unique respite facility within the Patricia Clark Children and Family Justice Center offering analternative to secure detention for youth referred for family violence. Initially, he supported the supposed tough on crime approach toward dealing with the crime by locking people up. Restorative Community - Covid19 Mutual Aid - Seattle | Facebook But if you were to have access to the social file, these kids have multiple prior cases in the system. Many have unstable housing and are dealing with mental health and substance abuse issues the kinds of dysfunction that may prompt the judge to decide that there are no better options, and that detention is the safest place for this young person right now, Hung said. Many of us know that something is wrong with the criminal justice system, but we dont know what to do about it or where to start. Constantine is proposing cutting $4.6 million in funding that the Sheriffs Office gets from tax on retail marijuana sales. The goal of work like ours is to bring safety to our community by helping people heal; both those who have been accused of causing harm and those who have been harmed. Contact the entire King County Council and tell them to pass a resolution postponing the adult version of the Restorative Community Pathways program until it includes accountability measures and the judiciary! Jeremy Crowe, RestorativePrograms Supervisor, 206-477-6528,jeremy.crowe@kingcounty.gov. The ripple effect is a tsunami of deep economic, generational, civic and historical traumas. Within the first year, RCP aims to divert 400 low-level, first-time juvenile cases to an existing network of restorative justice organizations that provide immediate responses and support for youth and harmed parties. These models are designed to provide timely, therapeutic, andrestorative support to youth and families. Jasmin Tucker. The number of jailed adults in the county dropped from about 1,900 before the coronavirus pandemic to about 1,300 now, according to the county. A bill partially unwinding a 2021 policing reform clears the Legislature. FAMILY INTERVENTION AND RESTORATIVE SERVICES (FIRS), FIRS is a collaborative intervention and approach to address adolescent family violence in a timely, therapeutic, andtrauma-informed alternative to formal court involvement. Kids engage in risk-taking, Hung said. A $6.2 million program called "Restorative Community Pathways" would refer up to 800 young people, by 2023, to community-based services, rather than filing criminal charges against them. Restorative Community Pathways is a diversion program that sends lower-level juvenile cases mostly misdemeanors, up to offenses like burglary, car theft, and gun charges to community. Extensive information about Step-Up, including program curriculum, is available, Step-Up accepts referrals from court staff, community providers and families and facilitates both individual and group. PO Box 31026, Bellingham, WA 98228 They will also develop accountable relationships with community organizations to ensure that the work of RCP continues to be rooted in youth liberation and healing, not punishment. While only 10% of King Countys 2 million residents are black, they now make up almost half of the detention population on any given day, and more than half of felony offenses. Under the RCP, the potential school shooter would be referred to one of the community groups such as 180 Collective, which initially proposed RCPs creation. We want to break institutional racist systems. Khandelwal called it a a long overdue departure from a racist, ineffective and failed legal system.. Cortez Charles. Restorative Community Pathways is a community response to harm that focuses on healing and . Our Ambassadors work with heart, humility, and compassion, to lead community and school-based healing circles, individual and family case management, court advocacy, and youth leadership opportunities. Seattle, WA. . What measures are being put in place to ensure they wont harm someone? We are living with the side effects of inherited, complex and inhumane systems that need renovation. It could become a facility that serves an older population of young adults, said Nance. Instead of frustration and denial, we build purpose and opportunity. In time, he decided he needed to do no more harm to the community and he was going to be a positive contributor. Police, prosecutors, and prisons cant do that and as a result, when we rely on those systems, we continue to see harmful behaviors in our community. King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn recently proposed a motion to recommend pausing the program just months into its implementation. The Restorative Community Coalition The truth is, criminal rehabilitation and homelessness outreach must adopt the same strategy if theyre to succeed. Although Dunns motion was shot down five to one during a council meeting on March 1, 2022, Hung wants people to know the facts about the program and how his office is viewing it. Jimmy Hung heads the juvenile division at the King County Prosecutor's Office.. Diversion: Keep people out of the prison system and in community. We will gather a wealth of wisdom from our diversity: 1) Join us at our monthly community Membership meeting to learn from others directly about their experiences, their problems and resolutions. Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. of youth and young adults were able to remain in the community. FIRS is a collaborative intervention and approach to address adolescent family violence in a timely, therapeutic, andtrauma-informed alternative to formal court involvement. Play Extensive information about Step-Up,including program curriculum, is availableHERE. Invest $6.2 million in "Restorative Community Pathways" In lieu of filing charges, the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office will refer up to 800 young people by 2022-2023 to receive comprehensive, community-based services. ChangeWA is a non-partisan 501(c)(4) organization focused on advancing common sense policies around smart growth, public safety, government accountability and good governance throughout Washington state. Carr then pivoted to the newly-implemented Restorative Community Pathways (RCP). The county will also begin to look for new alternatives to traditional fare enforcement on Metro buses. Rep. Kirsten Harris-Talley 37th Legislative District, Co-Sponsor. It will also depend on how the entities guiding the process both in county government and in the nonprofit sector define the end of youth detention.. Dow Constantine. From his perspective, a restorative justice model that automatically divides violent offenders from their peers is counterproductive. If you or someone you care about is being negatively impacted by public health and safety issues, we are here for you. Hung said RCP is important because it not only diverts kids from a system that is harmful, but it also provides kids with a level of support the courts simply cant come close to. The reality of the situation is that the criminal justice system often does more harm than good, he said, especially when it comes to kids. And thats where I think the community comes in and they do a much much better job than we could ever do.. You can choose your level of involvement.It will take many hands working together at different levels to bridge the gaps while rebuilding healthy communities. During a Law, Justice, Health and Human Services Committee meeting on March 1, when the proposed motion was brought up, many community members testified against pausing the Restorative Community Pathways program and argued that the program was a necessity in the regions communities. Diversion is a way of addressing an offense at the lowest level possible, allowing a youth to enter into a Diversion Agreement, whichis a legal contract, that requires youth to take steps to be accountable for their actions. the King Countys Restorative Community Pathways (RCP) program, Contact King County Executive Dow Constantine, actual shootings preceded by telltale warning signs, Seattle Mayor plans to focus on root causes of homelessess, Dont be fooled by homeless spending proposals, We need a better approach to end homelessness, Criminal youth dictating how the program is run, Zoom meetings as punishment for organized theft and burglaries, Refusal by prosecutors to file charges even for serious offenses. , When a youth completes all requirements in the Diversion Agreement, they do not have a criminal record and no charges are filed. It costs taxpayers anywhere from $30,000 to $250,000a year to keep someone in jail. King County Executive Dow Constantine proposes new - The Seattle Times Last July, Constantine made a commitment to guide the County toward an end to youth detention by 2025, promising to transition the new detention center to other uses and [shift] public dollars away from systems that are rooted in oppression and into those that maintain public health and safety, and help people on a path to success.. The courtrooms in the old center were cramped and gave little privacy to young defendants, while the new facilitys courtrooms offer more breathing room. In January 2022, King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn proposed a pause to the countys Restorative Community Pathways program. Young people kept in the community through their dedication and our support have gone on to enroll in college, start businesses, graduate from high school, and help rebuild our communities. The county prosecutors office expects to refer between 700 and 800 young people to the program by 2022 or 2023: as much as 80% of the prosecutors current juvenile caseload. He said the referrals from police departments recommending prosecution of a juvenile has drastically decreased from the tens of thousands of referrals he would receive annually in the mid-1990s, to now just over 1,000 in 2021. Who is held accountable? Crime-conscious mayors criticize King County's juvenile justice program Jun 2022 - Present11 months. Program providers report 86 percent of youth participants are meeting their program goals and 94 percent are increasing connection with adults, family, and the community.. What must be made clear to them is that criminal behavior is not acceptable regardless of who does it, that they have a moral obligation to respect other peoples rights and property as others do toward them, and that there are long-term repercussions if the behavior continues. The RCP literally does the opposite, as county documents explicitly state: Since youth are most impacted by decisions related to RCP, the consortium members, program managers, and the County will be accountable to the youth. 80% of people imprisoned are nonviolent and could be contributing to their families and local economies. Hung said data over many decades suggest how effective restorative justice can be in changing behaviors of juvenile offenders, especially when compared to the effects that incarceration has been shown to have on youth. All crimes that hurt the safety of our communities such as shoplifting rings, home burglaries, and car thefts need to be taken seriously so that folks are not re-victimized and the security of our neighborhoods is preserved, Dunn said. We create alternatives to incarceration for youth and young adults by rebuilding our communities through committed relationships centered on love, compassion, and consistency. Among the organizations thats received taxpayer money as part of the RCP is Community Passageways, which states on its website that the juvenile criminals they work with are the real victims. Below is a snapshot of our effectiveness between 2017 and 2018. off prison time compared to initial charges. KUOW Public Radio on Instagram: "On a Sunday morning last November, an Actor and comedian Tim Allen is an example of that after being given a reduced sentence for drug charges when he was a young adult. He knew felony diversion would be a foundational and life changing juncture for young people and he developed a four-prong approach prevention, diversion, incarceration (support) and re-entry. A program review from 2014 showed just under 20% of youth diverted to Choose 180s program committed additional crimes within a year only 5% lower than a control group with similar characteristics. She argued that RCP was designed to better address and rehabilitate these behaviors and do so better than the court system, criminal records and incarceration have ever done. Jana Detrick. A proposal to pause the recently implemented Restorative Community Pathways program, a program intended to divert juvenile criminal cases from the juvenile justice system into a rehabilitative program, has ignited a countywide debate on justice reform in our region. So who am I to say I have some monopoly on knowing what keeps communities safe, right?. Era-defining King County prosecutor race spurs debate on crime, reform If passed, the property tax levy will help fund behavioral health infrastructure in the region. Over 25 people signed up to testify in support of the Restorative Community Pathways program. If a youth does not complete a Diversion Agreement or does not respond to requests to meet to establish a Diversion Agreement,Juvenile Court sends the case back to the prosecutor, at which time the prosecutor might decide to file criminal charges. If youre a gang leader, who are you going to recruit to carry out your thefts and burglaries? . Since 2021, Collective Justice has been receiving cases pre-charge . Kristin Elia, Executive Office, 206-477-8209, Main phone: 206-263-9600 Our coalition has found that the roots of the problem start local. Obviously there are some that are unlikely to reoffend or are better suited getting therapy than facing jailtime, but that is impossible to determine when the entire basis of the program is that the criminal is the real victim and the system itself is the criminal. Many criminals, particularly criminal youths, have been victimized in the same way they victimize others. King County has historically proven that diversion works to reduce juvenile crime, and thats exactly what RCP aims to do, said Dan Satterberg, King County Prosecuting Attorney. Restorative Community Pathways is an evidence and community-based program to help change a youths behavior, reducing crime and creating a better future for themselves, their families, and our community. The priorities presented today will begin to address some of the injustices the Black community and other communities of color have experienced for decades in King County, Brown said. As a felony diversion and prevention program, CP is leading the way in reimagining and actively creating an alternative to todays criminal legal system. If passed, the property tax levy will help fund behavioral health infrastructure in the region. 1,706 Followers, 64 Following, 49 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Restorative Community Pathways (@restorative_community_pathways) When you make that distinction, the kid feels it. Seattle Times staff reporter King County will keep moving forward with a new juvenile restorative justice program, passed in the wake of 2020's mass racial justice protests, despite the. There must be a case number to track these offenses and the serious felony crimes should be removed from eligibility. It could be a service center for homeless youth and their families, or a place where young people could have access to detox services. Paul Faruq Kiefer is a journalist, historian, and born-and-bred Seattleite. Four of the most prominent existing programs Choose 180, Community Passageways, Creative Justice, and Collective Justice are working with the King County Department of Public Defense to form Restorative Community Pathways, a consortium of service providers for children facing potential misdemeanor or first-time felony charges. Its no Bellingham, WA lawmakers deadlocked as drugs ravage Snohomish County, rest of state, Woman shot in West Seattle, hours after 2 killed on Capitol Hill, Oregon tells a cautionary tale about drugs, but were not listening, fare enforcement disproportionately targets. In 2021, we had, by far in the history of this county, the lowest number of juvenile referrals into my office, Hung said. Restorative Community Pathways. "RCP at its core is a program that provides healing and restoration for youth. Finding alternatives for most of the young people in detention facing serious charges, and for those who have passed through the prosecutors office multiple times, will be a delicate process. By Henry Stewart-Wood September 15, 2022 4:55 pm A look inside the King County Juvenile Detention Center. The opinions expressed in reader comments are those of the author only and do not reflect the opinions of The Seattle Times. Decades of research have shown that putting kids through the criminal justice system pushes them toward criminal behavior rather than away from it. Hung believes that the Countys decision to hold those young people in jail instead of referring them to service providers means that all other aspects of our society have failed, and that the failure is presenting itself when the best option is locking the kid up in detention. Bringing an end to that practice, Hung said, will require the County to keep scaling up the services it can provide to young people in crisis. The Patricia H. Clark Children and Family Justice Center, which opened quietly in February 2020, replaced the countys aging Youth Services Center. The traditional court system spends money on prosecutors, judges, defense attorneys, incarceration and supervision, which are all concerned with the offender, Hung said. Now, we look at how it's actually run - and our recommendations on how to change it. Restorative Community Pathways also includes appropriate services and support for harmed parties, and restitution so that youths who cannot pay fines and other financial obligations do not end up in a cycle of probation violations and incarceration. The new center was built next to the decaying, 69-year-old Youth Services Center. It could be a medical clinic. FAX: 206-296-0194, Dan Satterberg, King County Prosecuting Attorney, Sheila Ater Capestany, Children Youth and Young Adults Division Director, Department of Community and Human Services, Sean Goode, Executive Director, Choose 180 Program, Find certified small business contractors and suppliers, data from the State Department of Children, Youth, and Families. Contact King County Executive Dow Constantine and tell him not to move forward with the RCP for adults! Seattle, Washington, United States513 followers 500+ connections. King County hasnt resolved how it will tackle the next four years of juvenile justice reform. She said 50 percent of incarcerated youth end up returning to the criminal justice system. Some King County mayors want to pause restorative justice program If we want to end this cycle of violence, if we want to see all of our community members thrive, then we must first see all of us as we see ourselves; flawed, human, and in our woundedness capable of causing harm and as we heal, capable of infinite good. interventions at the Patricia Clark Child and Family Justice Center and in the community. Whether its becoming a mentor or our helping with vital behind-the-scenes administration, your volunteer time restores and saves lives! Executive Constantine highlights anti-racism and criminal legal system Or do you know someone who would benefit from our programs? Jasmine Vail - Communications Coordinator - Restorative Community In study after study, children prosecuted in juvenile court achieve less success and do more harm than comparable youth who have been diverted out of the formal court system.. But there are other treatments that are available. Ferrell has described the program as easily fixable, stating that accountable and judicial oversight needs to incorporated. According to the countys presentation, those include: Unlawful possession of a firearm in the second degree is another charge that Ferrell said shouldnt be eligible for diversion. Youll send in juveniles without any prior offenses on their record. Seattle, Washington, United States. Seattle, WA 98104. After citing existing law, the prosecutors office comes to this conclusion in this hypothetical scenario. New youth program divides candidates for King County Prosecutor One can presume that this same foundational premise will be used for the adult version of this program the county intends to start soon. Youthhave the opportunity tosign out-of-court agreements in lieu of criminal charging and formal court. So what happens when the juvenile, having completed the program from his bedroom computer, promptly goes back to school and this time actually shoots one or more people? Restorative Community Pathways (RCP) is the best way to reduce the juvenile crime rate in King County, said Jimmy Hung, Chief Deputy Prosecutor at King Countys Juvenile Division. It is at the early education, intervention, 911 call, the hospital and at the jail doors. They feel like they have to act differently. Creative Justice and Collective Justiceare working with the King County Department of Public Defense to form Restorative Community Pathways, a consortium of service providers for children facing potential misdemeanor . We know that felonies carry with them collateral consequences that affect a persons ability to get a job, or get education, or to get housing all of those things really lead to de-stabilize that individual and their neighborhood and their family, King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg said. We provide youth mentors and access to programs focused on personal healing, identity development, and leadership building. Restorative justice seeks to address the root cause of an offenders problematic behavior and offer real justice and restitution for the victim, according to the prosecuting attorneys office. Juveniles who threaten physical and deadly harm to innocent people, especially in schools, needs more than a time out devoid of legal oversight. Featured Image: A No New Youth Jail advocate protests outside the Patricia H. Clark Children and Family Justice Center. Bakerview Square Business Suites Collective Justice, Creative Justice, Community Passageways, and CHOOSE 180 have worked together with the Department of Public Defense to co-create an alternative to the juvenile court system that has been written into the King County Executive's biannual budget and is set to begin . Reintegrate: Ensure a smooth, successful integration into the community. of sentencing relative to initial charges. He received his PhD in the streets, from the University of Rainier and Henderson. King County prosecutor candidates discuss criminal - Seattle Weekly