Section 72.09.280 - Community justice centers(1) The department shall continue to establish community justice centers throughout the state for the purpose of providing comprehensive services and monitoring for offenders who are reentering the community.(2) For the purposes of this chapter, "community justice center" is defined as a nonresidential facility staffed primarily by the department in which recently released offenders may access services necessary to improve their successful reentry into the community. Such services may include but are not limited to, those listed in the individual reentry plan, mental health, chemical dependency, sex offender treatment, anger management, parenting education, financial literacy, housing assistance, and employment assistance.(3) At a minimum, the community justice center shall include: (a) A violator program to allow the department to utilize a range of available sanctions for offenders who violate conditions of their supervision;(b) An employment opportunity program to assist an offender in finding employment; and(c) Resources for connecting offenders with services such as treatment, transportation, training, family reunification, and community services.(4) In addition to any other programs or services offered by a community justice center, the department shall designate a transition coordinator to facilitate connections between the former offender and the community. The department may designate transition coordination services to be provided by a community transition coordination network pursuant to *RCW 72.78.030 if one has been established in the community where the community justice center is located and the department has entered into a memorandum of understanding with the county to share resources.(5) The transition coordinator shall provide information to former offenders regarding services available to them in the community regardless of the length of time since the offender's release from the correctional facility. The transition coordinator shall, at a minimum, be responsible for the following: (a) Gathering and maintaining information regarding services currently existing within the community that are available to offenders including, but not limited to: (i) Programs offered through the department of social and health services, the department of health, the department of licensing, housing authorities, local community and technical colleges, other state or federal entities which provide public benefits, and nonprofit entities;(ii) Services such as housing assistance, employment assistance, education, vocational training, parent education, financial literacy, treatment for substance abuse, mental health, anger management, and any other service or program that will assist the former offender to successfully transition into the community;(b) Coordinating access to the existing services with the community providers and provide offenders with information regarding how to access the various type of services and resources that are available in the community.(6)(a) A minimum of six community justice centers shall be operational by December 1, 2009. The six community justice centers include those in operation on July 22, 2007.(b) By December 1, 2011, the department shall establish a minimum of three additional community justice centers within the state.(7) In locating new centers, the department shall:(a) Give priority to the counties with the largest population of offenders who were under the jurisdiction of the department of corrections and that do not already have a community justice center;(b) Ensure that at least two centers are operational in eastern Washington; and(c) Comply with RCW 72.09.290 and all applicable zoning laws and regulations.(8) Before beginning the siting or opening of the new community justice center, the department shall: (a) Notify the city, if applicable, and the county within which the community justice center is proposed. Such notice shall occur at least sixty days prior to selecting a specific location to provide the services listed in this section;(b) Consult with the community providers listed in subsection (5) of this section to determine if they have the capacity to provide services to offenders through the community justice center; and(c) Give due consideration to all comments received in response to the notice of the start of site selection and consultation with community providers.(9) The department shall make efforts to enter into memoranda of understanding or agreements with the local community policing and supervision programs as defined in RCW 72.78.010 in which the community justice center is located to address: (a) Efficiencies that may be gained by sharing space or resources in the provision of reentry services to offenders, including services provided through a community transition coordination network established pursuant to *RCW 72.78.030 if a network has been established in the county;(b) Mechanisms for communication of information about offenders, including the feasibility of shared access to databases;(c) Partnerships to establish neighborhood corrections initiatives between the department of corrections and local police to supervise offenders. (i) A neighborhood corrections initiative includes shared mechanisms to facilitate supervision of offenders which may include activities such as joint emphasis patrols to monitor high-risk offenders, service of bench and secretary warrants and detainers, joint field visits, connecting offenders with services, and, where appropriate, directing offenders into sanction alternatives in lieu of incarceration.(ii) The agreement must address: (A) The roles and responsibilities of police officers and corrections staff participating in the partnership; and(B) The amount of corrections staff and police officer time that will be dedicated to partnership efforts.*Reviser's note:RCW 72.78.030 expired June 30, 2013.
Findings-2007 c 483: See RCW 72.78.005.