The Criminal Justice Process

The Department of Corrections is part of a criminal justice system that includes hundreds of city, county, state and federal agencies. They include:

  • Police Departments
  • Sheriff’s Departments
  • Prosecutors
  • Defense Attorneys
  • Superior Courts
  • County Jails
  • State Prisons

Most criminal acts are never handled through the criminal justice process because they are not reported. In 2005, only 49 percent of violent crimes and 40 percent of property crimes nationwide were reported to law enforcement.

When a crime is reported, law enforcement agencies investigate and present their cases to prosecutors, who decide if sufficient evidence exists to file criminal charges. When a charge is filed, a public defender may be appointed for defendants who cannot afford legal representation. The defendant enters a plea, and if the plea is not guilty, a trial will be held to establish guilt or innocence. If a defendant pleads guilty or is found guilty by a judge or jury, a sentence will be imposed by the judge. In many cases, the length of confinement is based on standard sentencing ranges enacted by the Legislature, based upon recommendations of the Washington State Sentencing Guidelines Commission (www.sgc.wa.gov). Punishment for a felony may include a prison or jail sentence, a period of community supervision by DOC, or both.

Only a relatively small percentage of offenders spend time in state prison. In 2006, more than 306,000 crimes were reported in the state, but only 8,700 offenders were sent to prison. Approximately 70 percent of convicted felons are confined in county jails rather than prisons before serving a period under DOC supervision in the community. DOC currently has more than 27,000 offenders on active supervision in the community.

Factors outside DOC’s control help to determine the number of offenders under DOC’s jurisdiction. Such factors include state population growth, age and other demographics, and social attitudes about crime and punishment. For example, during the 1980s and 1990s, public anger over crime prompted harsher sentences for criminals, especially for many violent crimes and drug offenses. During that period, Washington’s prison population grew from 7,009 in 1986 to 17,973 in 2006.

State resources allocated to fund correctional programs are based on offender caseload forecasts prepared by the Washington State Caseload Forecast Council (www.cfc.wa.gov).

These forecasts are used by the Governor and Legislature to develop the state’s biennial budget.

The Steps of Criminal Justice

In 2005 only 49 percent of violent crimes and 40 percent of property crimes nationwide were reported to law enforcement.

Representation of percentage of reported crimes resulting in prison sentences

In Washington, on average:

  • 100 reported crimes resulted in
  • 26 arrests, which resulted in
  • 15 Superior Court filing, which resulted in
  • 6 felony convictions, which resulted in
  • 4 sentences served in the community and 2 sentences served in prison.

Cost of Criminal Justice

It has been estimated that the combined local and state cost for Washington’s criminal justice system in 2005 was approximately $3.4 billion.

The above chart is provided to illustrate the level of activity in relation to the various activities within the criminal justice system. The data was provided by Office of Financial Management, Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, the U.S. Census Bureau and Department of Corrections.

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