Dear Friends and Neighbors,
The 2024 session is almost upon us! This year’s interim flew by, and I am already gearing up for the return to Olympia. Since we adjourned in May, I have kept busy traveling across the country to learn how other communities are handling criminal justice issues, substance use disorder and behavioral health issues as it relates to incarceration. I have also been able to share the good work that we have done here in Washington. Read on to learn about what I have been up to this interim.
National Conference of State Legislatures’ Police Academy Meeting in Tacoma
In September, state representatives from across the United States came to Tacoma for a ‘legislator police academy.’ The meeting featured sessions on decertification, improved use of force policies, data collection and transparency, and behavioral health response. I delivered a keynote address about Washington’s police accountability reform legislation from 2021. Over the past two years, the Washington Legislature has worked closely with our partners in law enforcement to provide increased accountability, improve use of force policies, and enhance the way we respond to behavioral health issues. It was a great opportunity to share some of the lessons we have learned through this process and to hopefully inspire other states to improve their accountability, transparency, and use of force policies for law enforcement.
Legislative Summit in Indianapolis
This summer, I joined legislators from across the country at the National Conference of State Legislatures’ annual Legislative Summit in Indianapolis. With over 5,000 attendees from every single state, this is the largest gathering of state lawmakers and legislative staff in the country. I was thrilled to team up with Kentucky State Senator Whitney Westerfield to give a presentation on the future of criminal justice. We spoke about the need to give police tools to deal with the difficult situations they are often confronted with, whether that is someone having a behavioral or mental health crisis or substance use disorder. It was a great chance to learn about best practices from around the country and share some of the innovations happening here in Washington.
Crisis Stabilization Facility with Full Continuum of Services Tour in Rapid City, South Dakota
Rapid City, South Dakota is home to a model crisis stabilization facility. This alternative to incarceration allows people experiencing behavioral or mental health issues a place to go that does not have the collateral consequences of an arrest. Once someone has stabilized, the facility can connect people with a full continuum of services. By greeting those in need of help with care and assistance instead of jail, Rapid City has taken a remarkable step towards helping those with behavioral health issues stabilize and turn their lives around. We had the opportunity to tour the stabilization facility, services hub, childcare facility, cultural center, and housing units on site. This model is similar to the health engagement hub model that we are adopting here in Washington to help people with substance use disorder. I hope to be able to take the lessons learned here and share them with our service providers in Washington.
Juvenile Justice Conference in Pierce County
Pierce County is a national leader in juvenile justice reform and diversion. The National Conference of State Legislatures’ sponsored state legislators from across the country to come to Tacoma and learn about how diversion enhancement and shifting probation practices has led to better outcomes for systems involved youth in the county. By helping young people get their life back on track early, we can help them lead a healthier and more productive life.
Juvenile Justice and Pretrial Meetings in Savannah, Georgia
The federal government amended 1974’s Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) in 2018. As we approach the five-year mark from that change, states are nearing compliance deadlines to ensure that their policies are in line with what was set out in the JJPDA. I traveled to Savannah, Georgia to meet with officials from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency to ensure that Washington complies and to share our priorities for juvenile justice moving forward. I also attended a meeting to learn more about the latest research in pretrial policy. Research shows that excessive pretrial detention disproportionately affects communities of color and can lead to worse outcomes.
As always, please reach out if you have questions, comments, or ideas. Look forward to another legislative update from me soon.
All best wishes,
Roger Goodman
Representative, 45th District
Washington State Legislature