Improving outcomes for individuals adjudicated of juvenile offenses by increasing opportunities for community placement options and refining procedural requirements.
What changed between versions
Eligibility for community placement and specific disposition alternatives now depends on whether the juvenile was adjudicated of offenses listed in RCW 13.04.030(1)(e)(v), replacing a previous list of specific crimes like first-degree assault or kidnapping.
The requirement for a court finding to commit a juvenile to an institution now explicitly states that commitment must be to the 'department' rather than a generic 'institution', clarifying the responsible agency.
New provisions allow courts to impose suspended dispositions and electronic monitoring as alternatives to immediate confinement, with specific rules for revoking monitoring if terms are violated.
Release date priorities were updated to prioritize juveniles serving less than 90 days instead of 60 days, and the threshold for mandatory parole programs was adjusted.
Review hearing schedules were adjusted; the mid-point review hearing now requires the juvenile to have served at least four months in custody, and the timeframe for reporting room confinement issues was shortened from six months to three months.
Costs for mental health and substance use disorder evaluations and treatment under specific disposition alternatives are now to be paid by the health care authority, subject to appropriated funds.
New provisions clarify that revocations of suspended dispositions are appealable under specific statutes, whereas dispositions within the standard range for certain offenses were previously not appealable.
The definition of 'violent offense' was changed to 'serious violent offense' to align with current statutory terminology.
