Washington State Jail Industries

1. Washington StateJail Industries Part of the Solution

2. Legislative Intent The Washington State Legislature established the Jail Industries Board in 1993 under RCW 36.110. “It is the purpose and intent of the legislature, through this chapter, to establish a state-wide jail industries program designed to promote inmate rehabilitation through meaningful work experience and reduce the costs of incarceration.”

3. Mission Provide statewide leadership for jails to promote and mobilize employment focused community reentry programs through partnerships with labor, business, victims, communities, social service agencies and government. • The Jail Industries Board is a 21-member volunteer board whose goal is to help city and county governments establish and maintain inmate work programs. • Criminal justice and local government representatives are appointed by associations representing those interests. • Business, labor, and state agency representatives are appointed by the Governor. • The board employs a fulltime Executive Director who is responsible for the day to day operations of the agency, research, program development, and liaison with jails, local governments and other state agencies.

4. Board Composition

5. Desired Outcomes The Jail Industries Board is most interested in promoting programs that provide for: • Victim compensation and restitution • Reduced victimization and recidivism • Meaningful work experience and work ethics • Public service through offender labor

6. Definitions • Jail – Correctional facility administered by a local law enforcement agency, such as a sheriff’s office; that confines adult offenders, and juveniles under certain circumstances, awaiting trial or sentenced to one year (12 months) or less. • Jail Industry -"…uses jail inmate labor, to create a product or deliver a service, that has value, and for which inmates receive some form of compensation." • Reentry – The return to the community of an individual from incarceration in a jail or prison. Successful reentry is not achieved until the individual has fully complied with the terms of their release and supervision in the community, and does not return to incarceration. • Recidivism - Chronic criminal behavior leading to numerous arrests and re-imprisonment.

7. SomeNational Statistics • The Pew Center found in 2008 that 1 in 100 adults in America are in jail or prison. • In 2008, states spent more than $49 billion on corrections. • The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that only 46 percent of incarcerated individuals have a high school diploma or its equivalent. • One in six jail inmates reports that he or she dropped out of school because he or she was convicted of a crime, was sent to a correctional facility, or was involved in illegal activities.

8. More National Statistics • [Only] about two-thirds of people in prison and jail were employed…during the month before they were arrested for their current offense. • Nearly half of those leaving jail were earning less than $600 per month immediately prior to their incarceration. • Vocational program availability is very limited for jail inmates, with only five percent of jail jurisdictions offering vocational training. Many jail jurisdictions (33 percent) offer no educational or vocational training at all.

9. Washington State Jail Statistics • Thirty-eight counties and twenty cities operate jail facilities in Washington State. • Their combined holding capacity is approximately 13,620 inmates. • WA State jail staff complete approximately 300,000 bookings per year. • Nearly 100% of those individuals booked into jail and not sentenced to prison will return to our communities within one year. • Use of offender labor in Washington State jails reduces the tax burden on citizens by at least twenty-five million ($25,000,000) dollars per year.

10. Develop: Work ethics Respect Self-esteem Pride in a job well done Teach: Interpersonal skills Transferable employment skills Support: Safe and secure jail management Successful reentry Reduced recidivism Public safety Social and financial cost savings Jail Industries Benefits

11. Jail Industries Barriers Availability of programs, education, and training differ based on size and design of the jail, jurisdictional goals and finances, and the level of public and political support. • Lack of funding. • The physical plants of jails often do not provide the capacity for programs (space). • The length of stay in jail is shorter than in prison and sometimes harder to predict. • Misperceptions of the goals and benefits of programs, resulting in the “perk” mentality. • Lack of education and information for elected officials, policy makers, jail administrators, jail staff, the general public, and offenders.

12. Traditional Jail Industries • Food Service • Building Maintenance • General Labor • Grounds Maintenance • Janitorial • Laundry • Litter Control • Parks/Fairgrounds Maintenance • Sewing • Vehicle Washing/Detailing and more…

13. Non-Traditional Employment Based Programs • Flagger Certification • Forklift Certification • Habitat Recovery • Horticulture Training • Recycling • Wetlands Restoration and more…

14. Jail Industries The Future There is far more that we can do to develop effective jail industries and employment based programs, including: • Education of stakeholders • Designing new jails with the necessary space • Creating more certificated vocational programs • Ensuring that work programs are connected to other reentry programs for maximum benefit • Forming better partnerships with other agencies and service providers • Partnering with private sector business, etc.

15. Jail IndustriesMeasurable Outcomes While less research has been conducted on the effect of work and employment training for jail inmates than what is known about similar prison programs, it is safe to assume that such programs in jail would yield social and financial benefits similar to the following: • Recent studies have found that participation in prison education, job training, and placement programs is associated with improved outcomes, including reduced recidivism. • Recidivism rates of participants in prison education, vocation, and work programs have been found to be 20 to 60 percent lower than those of non-participants. • Participants in work programs are more likely to be employed following release and have higher earnings than non-participants.

16. Summary Many offenders want to change — and can change with the right training, education, treatment, and support. As citizens of the state of Washington, we are as affected by offender re-entry as we were by the crimes those individuals originally committed. Formerly incarcerated individuals shop next to us in grocery stores, have children who attend school with our own, and spouses who work with us every day. It is in our collective best interest that people be given the tools to change before they return to the community. Research shows that industries opportunities and offender employment programs are part of a best practices approach to accomplishing that goal.

17. Jail Industries Board Contact Information Dean Mason, Executive Director Jail Industries Board 801 - 88th Avenue SE MS: 41115 Tumwater, WA 98501 Phone: 360-725-9179 Fax: 360-753-0219 E-mail: damason@doc1.wa.gov Website: www.jib.wa.gov