NCJ Number
114917
Date Published
1987
Length
26 pages
Annotation
This report of the State of Washington Division of Juvenile Rehabilitation to the Washington State legislature details the State's needs for caring for and housing juvenile offenders in four security levels over the next 10 years and proposes two policy directions for serving juvenile offenders: institutional-based programs and community-based programs.
Abstract
The report responds to changes in population and deterioration in existing facilities. The policy proposals are based on demographic data provided by Washington's Office of Financial Management which predicts a decline in the juvenile offender population through 1991 and a rapid increase thereafter until 2000. Increases will occur, it is predicted, in the average age of juvenile offenders, their average number of prior offenses, the percentage of sex offenders, and the percentage of non-white offenders. An institutional-based policy would maintain the State's five current juvenile institutions for the delivery of services and proposes a slight increase in community placement. Current locations of the institutions make it necessary to move juvenile offenders from their home communities. The cost of rebuilding or renovating the five institutions over five biennia is $90 million. The second policy, a community-based program, would cost approximately $39 million over five biennia. In addition to costing less, this program would create an environment more conducive to rehabilitation for all but the most serious offenders and would allow family involvement in treatment. The community-based program is recommended.