Help Create a Committee to Review Offender Programs, Sentencing and Supervision

Action:

Contact Sen. Lisa Brown (Senate Majority Leader) and ask that SSB 6308 be pulled from the Rules Committee and sent to the Senate floor so that floor action can occur before the cutoff, scheduled for February 14, 2006.  Please contact Senator Brown at (360) 786-7604. SSB 6308 can be a vehicle for positive and measurable change. 

If your legislator is on the Senate Rules Committee, please contact him or her also.  Contact information for members of the Senate Rules Committee can be found at
http://www1.leg.wa.gov/Senate/Committees/RULE/members.htm

Additional information about the bill, together with the full text, can be found at
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=6308

Background:

Studies show that three out of five offenders will re-offend after release and some federal studies
suggest that this number is as high as two out of three. Programs that give offenders skills and support
systems have proven successful in reducing recidivism. Crime victims also support programs that can put offenders back into community as a productive member of society.

SSB 6308 will create a joint committee to review offender programs, sentencing, and supervision of the
offenders upon reentry into the community, with the goal of increasing public safety, maximizing
rehabilitation of the offenders, and lowering recidivism.

The committee must review and make recommendations regarding the type of offender that would most benefit from training and education; the type of education and training that would be most beneficial; changes to the sentencing law and policies that recognize “good time” served; changes to the supervision of offenders once released into the community; and methods for evaluating the effectiveness of these programs.

Thank you,

Deric N. Young
FCWPP Legislative Committee