Straight Talk From DOC - October 11, 2007

On Oct. 1 some news organizations in the Tri-Cities area reported concerns by local officials that the city had more than its share of convicted sex offenders. The reason discussed in the news coverage was that the state found it easier to place offenders in Pasco because of the availability of hotels willing to take sex offenders. One news account said officials surmised that such hotels have contracts with the Department of Corrections to subsidize the rents of sex offenders living there. The news media reported on an ordinance passed by the Pasco City Council requiring hotels and motels to post public notices when sex offenders are renting rooms.

Background

DOC does not contract with hotels, motels or other properties to house offenders under DOC jurisdiction. The Department does not rent or buy housing for offenders under community supervision. Prior to June 30, 2007, DOC used transition funding to assist offenders with their re-entry into the community.  In some situations, DOC used transition funding to provide short-term housing for offenders after leaving prison or jail.

(DOC does operate 15 work release facilities, which house offenders who are completing their prison sentences but have not yet fully returned to the community.)

DOC officers and counselors (who work both in the prisons and in the community) assist offenders’ transition to the community from prisons or jails while holding them accountable for their behavior.

Experience has shown that offenders who have known addresses can be more safely and effectively supervised by DOC than those who are released homeless. A large majority of convicted sex offenders do not repeat their criminal behavior. However, a survey found that of the 264 sex offenders under active DOC supervision who committed new crimes between June and November 2006, 73 percent did not have stable housing.  

To minimize the number of homeless offenders on the streets, DOC officers share their knowledge of resources in the community with offenders and may suggest for-profit as well as non-profit organizations willing to provide them housing at their cost. A new law was passed by the Legislature in 2007 requires DOC to release offenders to their county of first felony conviction unless certain exceptions exist.

 

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