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Washington bill would bar prison‑riot charges for juvenile facility incidents, seek resentencing and curb disparities at Green Hill
Summary
HB 1815 would stop use of the prison‑riot statute for conduct that occurs in DCYF or county juvenile facilities, create internal infraction rules at DCYF, and allow vacating and resentencing of related convictions; sponsors and analysts say the change could reduce racial disproportionality and Green Hill overcrowding.
Representative Strom Peterson, the bill sponsor, and the committee’s public safety analysts presented HB 1815 as a targeted fix to a statutory change that has led to lengthy adult felony consequences for young people held at juvenile rehabilitation facilities.
"This is a charge that is rarely, if ever, used in DOC facilities," Peterson told the Senate Human Services Committee, urging members that reducing that exposure could restore hope and reduce transfers to the Department of Corrections. Committee staff described the bill as excluding facilities operated by DCYF and county juvenile detention centers from the definition of "correctional institution" for the prison‑riot offense, allowing courts to vacate or resentence convictions that occurred at those facilities and requiring DCYF to manage prison‑riot behavior through its internal infraction system by 08/01/2025.
The Public Safety Policy and Research Center…
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