Washington State's New Juvenile Code, 3 - Planning for the Implementation of HB 371 - A Summary Relating to Status Offenders, July 1, 1977 - July 1, 1978

• NCJ Number: 72321
• Author(s): A Carlson
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 23 pages
• Grant Number(s): 77JN990017
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: University of Washington
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Part three of a five part series

Annotation

Plans and activities for the implementation of those parts of Washington State's new juvenile code (House Bill 371) which relate to status offenders are reported for the period July 1, 1977, through July 1, 1978.

Abstract

The passage of HB 371 placed upon the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) a number of responsibilities for status offenders previously belonging to the juvenile courts. In order to meet the legislative intent to keep the family unit intact, DSHS is to provide 24-hour intake services (a phone line providing access to help at any hour of the day or night). It must also provide crisis intervention services consisting of up to 15 hours of counseling, available on a voluntary basis to youths and their families in order to resolve family conflicts which might result in disruption of the family unit. Furthermore, DSHS must arrange temporary, non-secure residential placement, if necessary. In addition, DSHS was given new responsibilities for services to dependent children, for recommending sentencing standards for serious juvenile offenders, and for monitoring community diversion programs for middle and first-time offenders. Factors which made planning for implementation of the code difficult included (1) the numbers of different people, groups, agencies, and jurisdictions involved; (2) the lack of a good data base on status offenders; (3) internal problems within DSHS, including three changes in top leadership; (4) close monitoring of the law's implementation by legislative committees; and (5) a lack of funds due to the setting of July 1, 1978, as the effective date for the new code. The report also includes information on the regional planning process, important decisions which shaped the final plan, facts still not known at this time, a summary of regional responses regarding implementation, and a summary of the planning year from the perspective of the DSHS'h Olympia Office of the DSHS. For related reports, see NCJ 72319-20 and 72322-23.