res2016-008WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL AGENDA BILL NO. 2016 - 72
CLEARANCES
Initial
Date
Date Received in Council O rice
Agenda Date
Assigned to:
Originator:
2/2/2016
2/9/2016
Introduction
Division Head:
2/23/16
P & D / Council
Dept. Head:
3/8/16
P &D /Council
Prosecutor:
Purchasing/Budget:
Executive:
TITLE OF DOCUMENT.
Res adopt. statemnt of principles for Criminal Justice & Behavioral Hlth Systems
ATTACHMENTS:
SEPA review required? ( ) Yes ( ) NO
Should Clerk schedule a hearing ? ( ) Yes ( ) NO
SEPA review completed? ( ) Yes ( ) NO
Requested Date:
SUMMARY STATEMENT OR LEGAL NOTICE LANGUAGE: (If this item is an ordinance or requires a public
hearing, you must provide the language for use in the required public notice. Be specific and cite RCW or WCC as appropriate.
Be clear in explaining the intent of the action.)
Resolution adopting a statement of incarceration prevention, criminal justice, and jail planning principles for Whatcom County's Criminal Justice and
Behavioral Health Systems.
COMMITTEE ACTION:
COUNCIL ACTION.
2/23/2016: Held in Committee
2/9/2016: Introduced 7 -0
3/8/2016: Amended and forwarded to Council for approval
2/23/2106: Held in Committee
3/8/2016: Substitute amended and approved 7 -0,
Res. 2016 -008
Related County Contract #:
Related File Numbers:
Ordinance or Resolution
Number: Res. 2016 -008
Please Note: Once adopted and signed, ordinances and resolutions are available for viewing and printing
Lon the County's website at: www.co.whatcom.wa.us /council.
PROPOSED BY: 6UCHANAN. MANN, WEIMIER
INTRODUCTION DATE: FEBRUARY 9, 2016
RESOLUTION NO. 2016 -008
ADOPTING A STATEMENT OF INCARCERATION PREVENTION, CRIMINAL
JUSTICE, AND JAIL PLANNING PRINCIPLES FOR WHATCOM COUNTY'S
CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SYSTEMS
WHEREAS, Whatcom County and its municipalities and Tribes desire to
coordinate, contribute, and cooperate in enhancing public safety, and in particular
our communities' criminal justice and behavioral health systems; and
WHEREAS, the Whatcom County Executive has recently asked for input and
leadership by the County Council and other legislative bodies to guide future jail
planning, and has sought constructive engagement with other elected officials
throughout the county; and
WHEREAS, all parties believe there is a need for an improved County jail,
and that voters will approve a proposal that addresses the communities' full range of
needs and values.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Whatcom County Council
adopts the attached Statement of Incarceration Prevention, Criminal Justice, Jail
Planning Principles.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that due to a large number of other
infrastructure investments that the County needs to make, and the ever escalating
costs of such investments, time is of the essence for getting another proposal to the
voters as soon as possible.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Whatcom County Council asks the
other legislative authorities that have a stake in our shared criminal justice system
to, as soon as possible, also adopt this Statement of Incarceration Prevention,
Criminal Justice, Jail Planning Principles, or similar statements that make clear how
incarceration prevention, criminal justice, and jail planning needs to proceed.
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Dana Known`0i* t 14r'k'of the Council
APPROVEDASITOsRt' M:
Civil Deputy Prosecutor
March 2016.
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY,
Barr, M dhanah,- Council Chair
Statement of Principles on Incarceration Prevention, Criminal Justice, and Jail Planning
The Whatcom County Council would like to establish guiding principles for incarceration
prevention, criminal justice, and jail planning, and requests the participation of the Lummi Nation,
Nooksack Tribe, and all the Cities of Whatcom County.
We believe our communities are united in our commitment to public safety, justice, fiscal
responsibility, harm reduction, healing, and prevention as public priorities.
While there is a national discussion on incarceration and behavioral health, we see an opportunity
to improve our criminal justice system and rebuild our jail. We should strive for conditions where
the cycle of incarceration is broken rather than perpetuated.
We are fortunate that the process of thorough analysis is underway, with the creation of the
Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force. Subcommittees of the Task Force are
focusing their efforts on creation of a Crisis Triage Facility, Behavioral Health Programs, and
Criminal Justice System procedure and process reforms.
Therefore, in order to guide the public process and County administrative plans and actions, we
do hereby put forward the following set of Incarceration Prevention, Criminal Justice, and Jail
Planning Principles for our communities:
1. The people of unincorporated Whatcom County, the Lummi Nation, the Nooksack Tribe,
and the Cities are best served by a shared jail facility or a combination of shared facilities,
and by a coordinated and integrated response to behavioral health issues that can help
alleviate the use of the criminal justice system.
2. The following are inextricably linked: responsible stewardship of public funds, ensuring
public safety, and providing adequate countywide behavioral health services.
3. In recognition of the importance of prevention, treatment, re -entry and jail alternatives,
the Council established the Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force (IPRTF).
The IPRTF's specific recommendations should influence the direction of our future crisis
triage facility, our jail facility, pre- booking and pre -trial diversions, jail alternatives, and
behavioral health programming.
4. We will commit funding towards community -based preventive services. We need post -
release support to maximize successful re -entry and minimize recidivism. These actions
now can hold down recurring criminal justice costs in the future.
5. We will pursue construction and operation of an enlarged triage facility, implementation of
criminal justice process reforms, and creation of relevant behavioral health programs
regardless of the outcome of jail proposals.
6. Departments will provide data to decision - makers and the public, including relevant
demographic, statistical, and jail usage information. As described in Whatcom County
Resolution 2015 -042, spreadsheet models for jail utilization, jail financing, and jail size
should be made available to the public for examination and incorporated into decision -
making.
7. The size of jail facilities should be based on a comprehensive analysis of local criminal
justice policy. While accurate measures of current incarceration rates adjusted for future
population growth are important, we also must consider national, state, and local trends
towards improvements in prevention, alternatives, behavioral health, and re -entry
support.
8. We will locate any new jail facility where it can work best for all of our partners, the public,
and related businesses (attorneys, bail bonds, etc.). We need to try to obtain consensus
on the Ferndale location and whether alternatives, such as a downtown Bellingham
option, should be pursued.
9. We consider the Irongate minimum security facility as a valuable piece of the criminal
justice continuum. This facility could be retained for certain existing jail populations and
programs, or expanded to include a crisis triage facility, a re -entry support facility, a
behavioral health facility, or medical facility.
10. We will apportion construction and operating costs separately and fairly among jail users
based on actual use or best estimates of actual future use.
11. We will work with the County Prosecutor's Office, the District Court, Superior Court, and
Lummi Tribal Court leadership on bail setting practices and probation procedures, as well
as broader criminal justice issues that effect the size of the jail population but which are
not under County legislative control.
12. We will issue an RFP for a Criminal Justice Planner. While the work of our IPRTF and
community groups remains valid and vital, it is essential to hire a professional Criminal
Justice Planner to evaluate the additional aspects of our system and our jail needs.
Considerations such as financial commitments, jail location and size, diversion programs,
and bail and prosecution reforms must be examined and reported on by an established,
impartial expert.
13. We recognize the need to provide a safer, more secure and healthier environment for
those who work, visit, and are incarcerated within the jail; therefore, we will work to have
a funding proposal on the ballot with a goal of no later than November 2017.