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Washington State Institute for Public Policy

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Publications

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Jails and Juvenile Detention Centers in Washington State: Population Trends, Survey of Local Facilities, and Availability of CJTC Courses

Open Publication PDF

Corey Whichard, Morgan Spangler, Leah Hardenbergh - December 2024

The 2023 Legislature directed WSIPP to conduct a study of local jails and juvenile detention centers (JDCs). The study had three objectives: 1) identify changes in population characteristics between 2010 and 2022; 2) learn about staffing shortages, facility conditions, available services, costs, and funding sources through a survey of local facilities; and 3) examine the availability of Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC) classes for correctional officers.

The current study has three components. First, we used administrative data from 2010-2022 to examine trends in the characteristics of all individuals who were admitted to jail and JDCs for at least 24 hours. We observed decreases in the number of admissions and the percentage of individuals detained for drug crime, along with increases in the percentage of mental health disorders and individuals detained for violent crime.

Second, we collected and analyzed survey data from 56 institutions (35 jails, 21 JDCs) that operate 64 facilities. To our knowledge, our respondent pool represents all local detention facilities across Washington. Among other findings, most respondents reported that their institution struggles to recruit and retain correction officers, resulting in persistent staffing shortages. In addition, the average facility has been in operation for 35 years. Most respondents indicated their facility needs extensive repair.

Finally, we examined the availability of CJTC courses using administrative records and survey data. Although state law mandates that new recruits complete training within six months of being hired as a correctional officer, evidence suggests that CJTC courses are not offered frequently enough to keep up with demand. As a result, new recruits have been waiting 6-12 months before enrolling. Survey results indicate that most respondents are dissatisfied with the availability of CJTC courses.

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