FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                       October 17, 2006

Washington Will Examine Ways to Reduce Crime by Repeat Offenders

OLYMPIA--Washington and four other states will receive support from the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) to develop more effective strategies for reducing the number of new crimes committed by former offenders.

A team of state and county officials will work together on the year-long effort to examine Washington’s offender re-entry practices and create an action plan for improving the process and cutting recidivism.

“Many state and local agencies can help to significantly reduce crime,” said Gov. Chris Gregoire. “We will be even more effective when we combine our efforts and resources to increase safety.”

Washington agencies participating in the NGA Center-sponsored Offender Re-entry Policy Academy include the Governor’s Office and the Departments of Corrections, Social and Health Services, Employment Security, and Community Trade and Economic Development. A county representative also will be part of the team.

The five states were selected based on submitting the best re-entry proposals. The other states chosen are Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Maine and Indiana.

An NGA Center policy academy is a process designed to help selected states develop their own initiatives for addressing common public-policy issues such as offender recidivism. Washington agencies will develop re-entry policy initiatives by working with NGA Center staff and other experts, and by conducting stakeholder meetings within the state. 

During the process, representatives from Washington and the other four states will meet together to receive feedback on their action plans from nationally recognized experts and to exchange lessons learned by other states.

In a letter supporting Washington’s application to the policy academy, Gov. Gregoire noted that Washington already has several re-entry efforts under way to reduce the state’s recidivism rate and successfully reintegrate offenders as productive members of the community.

The Department of Corrections is developing a re-entry program that will emphasize assessing offenders when they first enter the prison system to determine which kinds of programming they need to reduce the likelihood they will commit new crimes after release. Such programming may include basic education, vocational training, substance abuse treatment and mental health.

The Washington State Institute for Public Policy also is continuing to study which types of programming are most effective in reducing recidivism.  Finally, a joint legislative task force is at work on recommendations related to re-entry.

Each state was asked to designate a core team of five individuals to participate in the policy academy. The five from Washington are: DOC Secretary Harold Clarke; Department of Social and Health Services Secretary Robin Arnold-Williams;  James Walker, Director of Offender Employment Services for the Department of Employment Security;  Stephen Buxbaum, Community Trade and Economic Development Assistant Director for Housing; and John Lane of the Governor’s Executive Policy Office.

 

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Contact: Mary Leftridge Byrd, Deputy Secretary Community Corrections, 360-725-8794

Gary Larson, Communications Director, 360-725-8803