Experienced criminal justice professional and regional leader named as director of King County corrections

October 13, 2010

Summary

King County’s Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention (DAJD) has a new director with deep experience in corrections and extensive regional ties. Executive Dow Constantine today appointed Bellevue resident and City Councilmember Claudia Balducci to lead the department.

Story

King County’s Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention (DAJD) has a new director with deep experience in corrections and extensive regional ties. Executive Dow Constantine today appointed Bellevue resident and City Councilmember Claudia Balducci to lead the department.

“Claudia brings the kind of experience that will strengthen our relationship with cities that partner with us on jail services, while her leadership will continue to bring improvements to the safety of the public, inmates and staff at our facilities,” said Executive Constantine. “Her experience in both corrections and public service will be invaluable in her new role.”

“I am looking forward to implementing the Executive's approach to building partnerships in the provision of jail services,” said Balducci. “Working closely with the department’s professional management and staff, and with our partners in criminal justice and in the cities, we can chart a new regional direction for detention and community corrections in King County.”

Ms. Balducci has been with the County in a number of complex roles since 1999. Most recently, she served as the county’s Settlement Coordinator with the U.S. Department of Justice during the federal agency’s scrutiny of improvements to inmate care at the King County Jail. She previously served at DAJD as Operations Manager, as regional jail coordinator, and as a labor negotiator.

Balducci has served on the Bellevue City Council since 2004. Before coming to King County, Balducci was an associate attorney specializing in employer-side labor relations and employment law with local firms.

As Director of DAJD, Balducci will manage the overall operations, planning and budgeting for the county’s large, urban multi-facility correctional services system, which has an average daily population of about 2,300 inmates. It is the second-largest facility housing the mentally ill in the state. She will oversee more than 1,000 employees, two adult detention facilities, a Community Corrections Division, a Juvenile Division and an Administrative Division.

Executive Constantine thanked Hikari Tamura for her work over the summer as interim director. She will return to her duties as Deputy Director of DAJD.

Ms. Balducci’s appointment takes effect Saturday, October 16, and is subject to confirmation by the Metropolitan King County Council.

Learn more about the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention: https://www.kingcounty.gov/courts/detention.aspx