Note: The following e-newsletter was sent to Sen. Leonard Christian’s subscribers Jan. 24, 2025. To subscribe to Sen. Christian’s newsletters, click here.

On Wednesday I toured Green Hill School in Chehalis with Senate Republican Leader John Braun (left) and other top policymakers in the field of juvenile rehabilitation. A policy that keeps juvenile offenders out of adult prisons through age 25 has resulted in severe overcrowding, violence and other pressures.

Dear Friends and Neighbors –

This week I went to jail. Juvenile jail, that is. On a tour of Green Hill School in Chehalis, I saw the overcrowding first-hand that has turned this secure facility for juvenile offenders into a powderkeg of violence and chaos. Our state’s juvenile rehabilitation programs are emerging as a major issue in our 2025 legislative session, and I was glad for this opportunity to see conditions for myself and meet with Green Hill’s dedicated staff.

Green Hill, one of two secure juvenile facilities operated by the state Department of Children, Youth and Families, has been turned upside-down by a state policy that keeps juvenile offenders on a separate track through age 25, rather than sending them to adult prison. The idea is that youthful offenders will benefit from a environment that places more emphasis on rehabilitation. But the state was unprepared for the overcrowding this would cause and the security issues it would cause for staff. Violence has spiked, smuggling of drugs and other contraband has increased, staff turnover is immense, and the chaos has made rehabilitation an afterthought.

As the ranking Republican on the Senate Human Services Committee, the committee that deals with this issue, I asked last week whether I could tour Green Hill myself. Others joined in, and on Wednesday we had a full contingent of policymakers in this area, including Democratic lawmakers, representatives of the governor’s office and the new secretary of the Department of Children, Youth and Families, the agency that oversees the facility.

 

Policy creates severe overcrowding

Green Hill, which houses male juvenile offenders, ideally was built for a population of about 150, with a maximum of about 180. Last month the average headcount was 243, forcing offenders to double-bunk in small cells with no toilet facilities. Green Hill’s population has become older, more violent, and more in need of supervision. Last year the Council of Juvenile Justice Administrators concluded that the population was too large and too diverse in age for effective rehabilitation efforts. Violence is a constant threat. Staffing also is an issue as the state has paid out $4.5 million since 2018 to settle claims of sex abuse.

On our visit to the facility this week, I had a chance to speak to some of the youthful offenders who have made a personal commitment to their own rehabilitation. Even these “success stories” are concerned by the dysfunctional atmosphere at Green Hill, and want us to do something about it. Staff was candid as they explained how conditions have degenerated over the last two years.

I was impressed by the attitude of the staff and their determination to make a difference in young people’s lives despite the pressures they face. The Legislature will be considering a number of proposals this year, including former Gov. Jay Inslee’s plan to co-locate a new juvenile center at the Department of Corrections prison facility at Stafford Creek, near Aberdeen. Republicans this year have introduced a full slate of reform proposals, but this is by no means a partisan issue. We all recognize the challenge.

 

Fixing our broken juvenile rehabilitation system

Senate Republicans this year have introduced a number of bills to address this crisis. Republican Leader John Braun, in whose district Green Hill is located, has taken a leading role on this issue. His proposals include rescinding the “JR to 25” policy, requiring body cameras for staff and instituting policies to prevent overcrowding. Others have introduced measures that, among other things, would reduce the population by sending the worst offenders to adult prison at age 18. I think fixing these problems requires us to shift our thinking. Juvenile rehabilitation programs should be viewed as a privilege for those who wish to change their lives, not as a right.

I have introduced four bills in this reform effort:

• SB 5255, allowing juveniles to be detained pending disposition of their cases when they are alleged to have committed crimes involving firearms or stolen vehicles.
• SB 5256, requiring the Indeterminate Sentencing Review Board to consider the testimony of crime victims in determining whether offenders have complied with “restorative justice” requirements.
• SB 5257, stiffening sentences for juvenile gun crimes, and
• SB 5260, the Youth Rehabilitation Pathways Act, permitting offenders sentenced to juvenile facilities between ages 18 and 25 to request transfer to Department of Corrections facilities.

Congratulations to Owen Parry, our first page of the session!

The first week of the session, it was my pleasure to sponsor Owen Parry as a Senate page. Owen, 14, is the son of military-connected family friends, Daniel and Christi Parry of Carnation.

If you have a child ages 14 to 16, or you know someone who does, the page program is an excellent opportunity for students to observe the Legislature in action. Students spend a week working in the House or Senate and earn a small stipend for their efforts. For many it is a springboard to a career in the public arena. Slots remain open for the 2025 session, and the last day to apply is March 17. For more information about the program, click here.

 

Contact us!

If you have a concern about state government, or a problem with a state agency, please do not hesitate to contact my office. My most important duty is to serve you. Mailing address: Post Office Box 40404, Olympia, WA  98504 Email: Leonard.Christian@leg.wa.gov Phone: (360) 786-7606 Leave a message on the Legislative Hotline: 1 (800) 562-6000

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Thanks for reading,

Sen. Leonard Christian

4th Legislative District