A Message from our Care & Closure Team
Care & Closure is King County’s plan for youth healing, accountability, and community safety. The plan outlines recommendations and next actions to expand community-based alternatives to secure youth detention and close the youth detention center. We share updates and upcoming opportunities to be involved in the project each month.
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Save the Date: Care & Closure Webinar
We are excited to host a webinar on Thursday, May 23 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. to share more information about Care & Closure recommendations and next actions.
This webinar is for anyone who is interested in learning more about the six recommendations proposed as alternatives to secure youth detention and hear how the progress on the next actions outlined in the report. We plan to record the webinar and share out the recording for folks who can’t make it.
Register for the webinar.
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Reconvened Advisory Committe
We have reconvened the Advisory Committee to specifically discuss two Care & Closure recommendations – the proposed respite and receiving center and short-term respite housing – that require more deliberation. The Advisory Committee meetings are held on the fourth Monday of each month from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. unless there is a holiday.
Due to the Memorial Day holiday, the next meeting will be on Monday, June 3 at 4 p.m. You can find more information on the meetings and the previous meeting notes on the project website.
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Quick Links: Recommendations & Next Actions
Over the past two years, the King County Executive and his departments have been partnering with impacted community members, systems partners, and community organizations to identify better, more effective alternatives to youth when they cause serious harm instead of secure youth detention.
In January 2024, the Executive published a report that outlines six recommendations and next actions to implement them, highlights the process of developing the recommendations, and the findings from the community engagement. Check out the two-page summary and the full report.
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King County Council Discussion on the Report & Recommendations
The King County Council recently discussed and successfully voted to acknowledge receipt of the latest Care & Closure report and recommendations in March and April. The Law and Justice Committee first discussed on March 27, 2024 and hosted a panel of systems partners to discuss the recommendations. The Committee voted to acknowledge receipt of the report and passed the report out of the committee. View the recording of that meeting.
On April 16, 2024, the King County Council met to discuss the report and voted to acknowledge receipt of the report. View the recording of that meeting. Councilmembers also expressed a desire to continue discussing the goals of expanding alternatives to secure youth detention, improving care for youth in custody today, and closing the secure youth detention facility.
New Research Report on the Effectiveness of Diversion
The Sentencing Project just released a new report on the growing use of diversion by jurisdictions across the country. The report cites recent research that highlights that youth who are diverted out of the legal system have equal or better outcomes than youth who are formally processed in court. These outcomes included likelihoods of re-arrest, violent behavior, employment and educational outcomes, and exposure to violence.
The report also points to a variety of diversion programs and jurisdictions that are using these programs to reduce the number of youth involved in the legal system and youth in secure youth detention. Check out the report to learn more.
Help Others Get Connected
Please share this monthly newsletter to anyone you think might be interested in learning about this effort! To stay up to date:
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