Dunn’s motion in support of keeping the county’s juvenile jail open heads to full Council without recommendation

July 24, 2024

The King County Council’s Law and Justice Committee on Wednesday approved without recommendation a motion sponsored by Councilmember Reagan Dunn in support of keeping the County’s juvenile detention facility open.

Dunn’s motion reads: “It is the intent of the Metropolitan King County Council not to close the Judge Patricia H. Clark Children and Family Justice Center and keep it open and operating with secure detention services provided.” Approving the proposal without recommendation ensures that the conversation on the proposal will continue at the full King County Council.

“I am very pleased that the Committee has moved my motion forward to full Council so that the debate and conversation can continue,” Dunn said. “I maintain that by focusing on ending secure detention and closing the juvenile detention facility, the county perpetuates a lose-lose situation — one where the safety of the public is at risk, and juvenile offenders have less access to rehabilitative services that help get their lives on the right track. Instead, the county must place its time and energy on improving our existing juvenile justice system. I will continue working toward this end.”

King County’s Care and Closure initiative seeks to close the CCFJC and instead shift responsibilities for juvenile detention to private organizations, even as the number of juvenile violent felonies — which include murder, assault, rape, shootings, and burglaries — skyrocket. In 2023, there were 177 violent felonies committed by juveniles, including murder, gun violence, drive-by shootings, domestic violent, rape, and residential burglary. Juvenile violent felony filings are up 57% from 2022, and up a shocking 146% from 2021. In addition, youth-on-youth gun violence is at a record high despite other homicides and violent crimes trending downward.

A report heard in the Council’s Law and Justice Committee in April revealed an internal debate among the Advisory Committee over whether detention should be secure in the future. Advisory Committee members remain sharply divided on whether or not to have locks on the doors to the community care homes that would serve as alternatives to the current detention center and have been unable to agree on a recommendation regarding security.

The CCFJC opened in 2020 and cost $242 million. It was intended to be a more rehabilitative approach to juvenile justice, containing modern classrooms, a library, a gym and a medical clinic all within the same building as community services and juvenile courtrooms. Though the original goal was to close the detention facility by 2025, the anticipated closure date has been revised to at least 2028. The King County Auditor’s Office released a report stating that the years-long discussion has led to staffing shortages and cuts to programs at the CCFJC: “Staff explained that the uncertainty around closure dampens morale and results in staff exploring employment opportunities with more long-term security.”

As of July 23, there are 69 juveniles being held in secure detention, including 12 being tried as adults. Offenses for youth in secure detention include 6 cases of murder, 3 for rape including rape of a child, 1 for child molestation, 14 for assault, 26 for robbery, 8 for unlawful possession of a firearm, one for possession of a stolen firearm, and 10 for other felony offenses.