‘Restorative justice’ is the name of the game for juvenile offenders in King County. At least that is what one King County prosecutor recently told a group of South Sound law enforcement officials – no jail time for juveniles suspected of committing crime in King County, even violent crime. Check out RCW 13.40.070.
It is expected that in 2022 – and beyond – juveniles who commit crime in King County will be enrolled in restorative justice programs, as opposed to being prosecuted and/or doing jail time. Some argue that restorative justice is too light of an approach for fighting crime, and that more prosecution and jail time needs to be in the mix – especially for violent offenders.
Recently, a new program – Restorative Community Pathways (‘RCP’) – was implemented. RCP is a “restorative justice” program that provides alternatives to jail time. Rather than going in front of a judge, RCP participants go in front of a community panel of activists. That panel decides how the participant can be held accountable. The program started in November 2020; it nixes the court processing of defendants. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office expects to forward a whopping 40% of its juvenile cases to RCP in 2022, with plans to send an even more in the coming years.
Some are worried that RCP will simply create a crime surge. Time will tell, of course. So, stay tuned, things could get quite interesting on the criminal justice front for juveniles.
If you or a loved one is in a bind as a result of a criminal charge, immediately contact a Seattle Criminal Attorney. A Criminal lawyer is not going to judge you, and understands that everyone makes mistakes. Hiring a Seattle Criminal Lawyer to help can – at a minimum – reduce penalties, and can help direct people on how to best deal with their criminal charge, and many times even get them dismissed. So it should go without saying that someone cited for a misdemeanor or felony should hire a qualified Seattle Criminal Lawyer as soon as possible. Criminal charges can cause havoc on a person’s personal and professional life. Anyone charged with a crime in Washington State should immediately seek the assistance of a seasoned Seattle Criminal Lawyer
