Skip to main content

News Spotlight: Prison Bed Consolidation and Unit Closures

Published July 20, 2021 | Updated August 24, 2021

About

In May 2021, the Department of Corrections (DOC) shared a draft proposal for the closure of units within prison facilities. Several factors have contributed to the proposal including:

  • The expansion of community-based reentry programs and the State v. Blake court decision.
  • Corrections has seen a 54% decrease in prison admissions from March 2020 to June 2021 compared to the same time frames in 2019 and 2020.
  • Of the 17,000 total prison beds statewide, approximately 4,000 are empty as of July 20, 2021, and that number is expected to grow.
  • All budgets, including the 2021-2023 biennial budget, passed by the Legislature, and signed by Governor Inslee, require the department to reduce prison spending by $80 million over the next two years.
  • With a significant increase in the number of vacant beds, the state must address this unfunded capacity issue now.

Phased Approach

Due to a range of complexity among facilities, a phased approach is being used:

  • First Step - a consolidation of units within facilities,
  • Phase 1 - low-impact closures, and
  • Phase 2 - high-impact closures.

Each phase addresses a different level and approach to consolidations and closures and will involve meetings with key groups and stakeholders. The department will reach out to stakeholders to hear comments as we progress through each phase.

Phase Two conversations with impacted stakeholders will start in early August with the Monroe Correctional Complex, which has the largest staff and incarcerated population currently under consideration. We will be having discussions with staff and labor partners, incarcerated individuals, families, advocacy groups, volunteers, and elected leaders connected to all impacted facilities.

Back to Top

Listening Sessions

Facility Unit Closure Phase Two Stakeholder Meetings – Thursday, August 19, 2021

Revised August 11, 2021

Phase Two Units Under Consideration:

  • Coyote Ridge Corrections Center – Camas Unit
  • Larch Corrections Center – Silverstar Unit
  • Stafford Creek Corrections Center – Units H3/H4
  • Washington State Penitentiary – Unit 10

5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. – Families, Community-based Organizations and others

DOC is inviting families, community-based organizations and others who are interested in participating in an open virtual listening session to discuss the potential closure of units.

  • Participate via Microsoft Teams, click here to join the meeting
  • To call in by phone (audio only): (564)-999-2000, 649225127# Phone Conference ID: 649 225 127#

6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. – State and Local Elected Officials, City and County employees and others

DOC is inviting state and local elected officials, city and county employees and others who are interested in participating in an open virtual listening session to discuss the potential closure of units.

  • Participate via Microsoft Teams, click here to join the meeting
  • To call in by phone (audio only): (564)-999-2000, 906286345# Phone Conference ID: 906 286 345#

The decision to make any closures is difficult, but a necessary one. Corrections has received input from staff, incarcerated individuals and their families, labor leaders, elected officials, community leaders and many other stakeholders. The issues are complex, individualized, and require us to consider impacts, mitigate them and come up with the best possible solution.

Monroe Correctional Complex Stakeholder Meetings – Thursday, August 5, 2021

Revised July 28, 2021

5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. – Families, Community-based Organizations and others

DOC is inviting families, community-based organizations and others who are interested in participating in an open virtual listening session to discuss the potential closure of units at the Monroe Correctional Complex.

6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. – State and Local Elected Officials, City and County employees and others

DOC is inviting state and local elected officials, city and county employees and others who are interested in participating in an open virtual listening session to discuss the potential closure of units at the Monroe Correctional Complex.

The decision to make any closures is difficult, but a necessary one. Corrections has received input from staff, incarcerated individuals and their families, labor leaders, elected officials, community leaders and many other stakeholders. The issues are complex, individualized, and require us to consider impacts, mitigate them and come up with the best possible solution.

Back to Top

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Why are prison unit consolidations and closures proposed and under discussion?

The department has seen a 54% decrease in prison admissions from March 2020 to June 2021 compared to the same time frames in 2019 and 2020. Of the 17,000 total prison beds statewide, approximately 4,000 are empty as of July 20, 2021, and that number is expected to grow.

The decrease is partially due to earlier diversions, interventions, and treatments, as well as a strong focus on expanding community-based reentry programs allowing individuals to safely transition back to their home community. Impactful court decisions such as State v. Blake and innovative, less restrictive programs such as graduated reentry (GRE) could further reduce the number of incarcerated individuals in the state’s care and custody in the future.

All budgets, including the 2021-2023 biennial budget, passed by the Legislature, and signed by the Governor, require the department to reduce prison spending by $80 million over the next two years. By the State Constitution, the department must operate within the legislative appropriation. With a significant increase in the number of vacant beds, the state must address this unfunded vacant bed issue now.

Revised July 20, 2021

2. I’ve heard the term warm closure. What does the term mean?

Warm closure means a unit could be closed to reduce open and unneeded bed capacity yet reopened later, if needed. Utilities are still available in the units but they are not staffed and no one lives in them.

Revised July 20, 2021

3. Is potential impact on staff and incarcerated individuals being considered as one of the criteria the department is using to determine unit closures and consolidations?

Yes. Our criteria for decision-making are based on finding unit closures and consolidations that have the least impact on staff, incarcerated individuals and their families, and minimize negative effects on programs, education, healthcare, and other critical services.

Revised July 20, 2021

4. Will all the closures and consolidations happen at the same time?

No. A phased approach is being used:

  • First Step - a consolidation of units within facilities,
  • Phase 1 - low-impact closures, and
  • Phase 2 - high-impact closures.

Revised July 20, 2021

5. What do consolidations and eventual closures mean for incarcerated individuals, including mental health treatment, substance abuse treatment and other programming?

We are approaching this challenge with a specific objective of limiting impacts, to the extent possible, for incarcerated individuals and their family and support systems. These efforts will include a goal to minimize transfers. The department will continue with access to programming, academic and vocational education, substance use treatment, sex offender treatment, cognitive behavioral and violence reduction, cultural and religious programming, visitation, and religious practices.

Revised July 20, 2021

6. What do consolidations and eventual closures mean for staff?

One of the department’s key priorities is mitigating impacts to staff. Any decisions on unit closures will work to limit impacts to permanent employees. Hiring freezes in the Prisons Division are already in place, which will mean fewer staff will be impacted. The department intends to manage any reduction in staff over time through a phased in approach; not filling existing vacancies, using natural attrition, and creating opportunities for new roles for staff within the department.

Revised July 20, 2021

7. Does the department have more correctional officers than it needs?

No. Through May 2021, the department loses more staff than it can retain. As of May 2021, the department has over 180 correctional officer vacancies statewide. The state must keep the correctional facilities appropriately staffed to maintain safe prisons, and the number of vacancies is increasing the amount of overtime costs paid by the state.

Revised July 20, 2021

8. What does a consolidation mean?

Consolidations involve moving incarcerated individuals into other living units within a prison facility. Staff are redeployed, but staffing levels are not reduced. Living units are consolidated or combined within a prison and may involve use of double beds versus single beds where appropriate. This could occur immediately and allow us to reduce high levels of overtime, some of which is mandatory and decrease the impact of staff vacancies at facilities. Incarcerated individuals will not be transferred due to consolidation but may be transferred due to housing classification per DOC policies and procedures.

Revised July 20, 2021

9. What units are being consolidated?

Revised July 20, 2021

10. What does the Phase One low-impact closures mean?

Phase one closures are defined as shutting down a unit and reducing the associated staffing. We will be utilizing reassignments and redeployments temporarily wherever possible to minimize staff impacts and will be engaging in our collective bargaining obligations with our labor partners. Incarcerated individuals will not be transferred to other facilities due solely to unit closures but may be transferred as a result of normal prison operations such as housing classification policies and procedures, or their request if approved.

Revised July 20, 2021

11. What units are considered for the Phase One closures?

Revised July 20, 2021

12. What does the Phase Two closures mean?

This phase involves closing units which would likely have impacts and that is why we needed to take time to examine data and concerns. Due to the individualized and varying factors and complexity, Monroe is included in this phase, but several others such as Larch, Coyote Ridge or Stafford Creek are also under consideration. Issues at these facilities could impact staffing and incarcerated individuals and their families. We are sensitive to these impacts and thus have allowed for more time to listen and gather stakeholder input in the coming months for the best decisions when made, as well as the best approach. Our goal is to mitigate impacts by working with our labor partners and community stakeholders.

Revised July 20, 2021

13. What units are proposed for Phase Two closures?

Revised July 20, 2021

14. Have stakeholders been given the opportunity to provide feedback?

Yes. Phase Two conversations with impacted stakeholders will start in early August with the Monroe Correctional Complex, which has the largest staff and incarcerated population currently under consideration. We will be having discussions with staff and labor partners, incarcerated individuals, families, advocacy groups, volunteers, and elected leaders connected to all impacted facilities.

The department reviews and evaluates received correspondence, such as emails and letters, as well as calls. Stakeholder input from incarcerated individuals, families, unions, elected leaders and nonprofit organizations has been very helpful to the department staff as we work to find solutions for the best outcomes and support the success of those under our jurisdiction.

Revised July 20, 2021

15. Where can I provide comments, input, and questions?

You can send questions and comments to DOC Reentry Expansion.

Revised July 20, 2021

16. What budget steps caused the reduction in prison spending?

The 2021-23 biennial budget included a reduction in the prison caseload, based on the Caseload Forecast Council’s projected average daily prison population (ADP) decrease of 2,500 incarcerated individuals over the biennium. The June 2021 caseload forecast projects an additional ADP decrease of 672 incarcerated individuals in FY 2022, and a 41 ADP decrease in FY 2023.

The Department of Corrections has experienced a gradual decline in prison populations over the past four years related to various sentencing changes and expanded diversion efforts. The more recent reductions are due, in part, to COVID court backlogs and rapid reentry efforts, and recent Supreme Court decisions in State v. Blake, State v. Domingo-Cornelio & Ali, and the Monschke & Bartholomew petitions.

Additionally, the legislature passed SB 5121 Graduated Reentry Expansion (GRE) (pdf) which would allow as many as 3,000 currently incarcerated individuals to transfer to partial confinement or electronic home monitoring with supervision. The new legislation further reduces prison spending by $66.4 million over the next two years. Much of the savings from the reduced prison population and unit closures is reinvested into community-based services, programming, and structured support to help individuals successfully transition back into the community.

Revised August 18, 2021

17. Is the Monroe Correctional Complex closing?

No. The department is not closing the Monroe Correctional Complex (MCC). The department is warm closing several units within the MCC Washington State Reformatory Unit (WSRU).

The decision to make any consolidations—and closures—is a difficult, but necessary one. With a significant increase in the number of vacant beds, and a requirement in the 2021-2023 biennial budget to reduce prison spending by $80 million over the next two years, the state must address this unfunded capacity issue now. If not addressed now, the number of consolidations and closures would potentially need to increase to still reach the $80 million amount within the biennial budget. Due to aged infrastructure, the WSRU has a large amount of capital repairs and funding needs as well as unneeded prison capacity.

Revised August 18, 2021

18. Why were the larger MCC WSRU C/D units cells closed and not the A/B units?

Monroe Correctional Complex's (MCC) Washington State Reformatory Unit (WSRU) C/D cells are MI3 (long-term minimum) custody level, and the A/B cells are medium custody level. For security, operational, and classification reasons, we can house lower custody individuals in a higher custody classification (in this case, MI3 individuals in medium cells), but our incarcerated individual management system and department policies prevent us from housing individuals in lower levels of custody than then current classification. The A/B Units will be closed as part of Phase 2.

Revised August 18, 2021

19. How do Monroe’s overtime numbers compare to other facilities?

Between July 2020 and June 2021, DOC staff worked a total of 1,324,147 hours of overtime, nearly a quarter of those hours were incurred at the Monroe Correctional Complex (MCC). On average, custody staff worked 25.3 hours of non-holiday overtime each month. MCC had the second highest rate of overtime among all department facilities with an average of 32.5 hours of non-holiday overtime each month. The Washington Corrections Center for Women (WCCW) had the highest rate of overtime at 34.5 hours.

Revised August 18, 2021

20. Isn’t there more opportunity to hire staff in a large population center like Monroe, which is a little more than 30 minutes from Seattle?

No. Due to the competitive market of Seattle and the surrounding areas, finding enough individuals to adequately staff Monroe Correctional Complex (MCC) is very challenging. Between private business and other public safety organizations, the labor market is very competitive with signing bonuses for some competing employers. The Department of Corrections cannot compete with such financial incentives and is therefore at a disadvantage to gain enough staff.

The consolidations and closures allow for a reduction in high levels of mandatory staff overtime and decreases the impact of staff vacancies at facilities. The department understands these changes could have potential impacts on existing staff. The department has strategies in place to lessen the number of staff impacted, and other roles within the department will allow for retention opportunities. The department looks forward to continuing work with its labor partners for solutions to support the staff who serve in the state’s correctional facilities.

Revised August 18, 2021

21. Will impacted incarcerated individuals still be able to complete the programs they are taking to positively impact their lives?

A key focus for the department is understanding the possible impacts on incarcerated individuals and the programming they are taking to better themselves and their eventual reentry into the community. The department is committed to working toward solutions that maintain access to education, treatment, cultural/religious practices, and other programming, and working with established partners, such as the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) and Edmonds College. The department is working to lessen impacts, such as minimizing transfers when possible, as it also considers housing and security classifications.

Revised August 18, 2021

22. Is there necessary consideration being provided to health services for incarcerated individuals housed at MCC WSRU?

The department is committed to ensuring effective, compassionate delivery of health services to those within its custody and care. Appropriate provision of health services is a primary consideration of the department and any consolidation within the Monroe Correctional Complex's (MCC) WSRU.

Revised August 18, 2021

23. Can the department increase the time of individuals at minimum security facilities to allow greater flexibility to transfer from higher security facilities?

At this time, an incarcerated individual can transfer to a minimum-security facility when the individual has four or fewer years remaining to serve in an incarcerated setting. The department is currently reviewing and considering increasing the amount of time an incarcerated individual can be housed in a minimum-security facility.

Revised August 24, 2021

24. Will the cost of operating minimum security facilities increase as their scale of operation changes?

According to the department’s annual report on cost per incarcerated individual per day (pdf), it is true that it costs less to house individuals at a minimum-security facility. Because any minimum-security facility affected by a unit closure will see both a corresponding decrease in average daily population (ADP) as well as food, utilities and other facility operational costs, there should be minimal increase to a minimum-security facility’s operational cost.

Revised August 24, 2021

25. Does the department plan to stagger the unit closures within a singular phase?

Each unit identified for closure does have operational planning needed for the closure. Because of the individual needs of each identified unit, there will be a staggered closure of identified units as opposed to all identified units within all identified facilities being closed on the same calendar day.

Revised August 24, 2021

26. How will the department provide appropriate information to incarcerated individuals regarding transfers and options?

The department is working with classification counselors to provide necessary information, as it becomes available, to incarcerated individuals regarding transfers and applicable options.

Revised August 24, 2021

27. Why was the decision made to close the Larch Silverstar Unit as opposed to the Elkhorn Unit?

The Silverstar Unit was identified for closure as it is the older unit of the two and therefore maintenance and capital costs are greater at the Silverstar Unit.

Revised August 24, 2021

28. Where is the Larch therapeutic community (TC) going?

Currently, there is no plan to close the Larch therapeutic community. The size, scale and scope of the Larch therapeutic community will be reviewed in tandem with any unit closure.

Revised August 24, 2021

29. Will the victim notification system be able to keep up with changes and movement throughout the closures?

Yes. The department is legally mandated and feels confident in its ability to continue providing victim notification to those who have enrolled in the service to receive such notifications. Notification rules and requirements are provided on the department’s victim services pages.

Revised August 24, 2021

Back to Top