Washington

Background

In 2014, Washington had the highest reported property crime rate in the nation. People convicted of property offenses had a high likelihood of committing a new crime, yet Washington was the only state in the country where supervision was not available as a sentence for most people convicted of property offenses. Washington used a Justice Reinvestment approach with the CSG Justice Center to develop policy options that included a new sentencing grid for felony property offenses that mandates a period of supervision and, if needed, treatment for people convicted of less serious property offenses and funding for local law enforcement and victims of property crime.

The Justice Reinvestment Policy Framework was expected to help the state avoid up to $291 million in prison construction and operating costs that would otherwise be needed to accommodate the growth that was forecast to occur by 2024. The Justice Reinvestment Policy Framework was translated into legislation and introduced during the 2015 legislative session. However, no legislative action was taken during session.¹

For more information, see Justice Reinvestment in Washington.

¹ The Council of State Governments Justice Center, 2023, Justice Reinvestment in Washington, New York, NY: The Council of State Governments Justice Center, retrieved June 5, 2023 from https://csgjusticecenter.org/projects/justice-reinvestment/past-states/washington/