(The Center Square) – Gov. Jay Inslee proposed opening a new juvenile rehabilitation center in Aberdeen on Monday as another Chehalis facility grapples with a 60% increase in its population since 2023.
Inslee and the Department of Children, Youth & Families laid out the proposal during a Monday press conference. While touting DCYF’s juvenile facilities, the governor also recognized the challenges of overcrowding and safety concerns over the past year.
The plan includes opening a new facility at the Stafford Creek Corrections Center in Aberdeen; if approved by the Legislature during the upcoming session, Inslee said the new DCYF facility could serve up to four dozen men between 18 and 25 years old.
“Safety is our absolute top priority,” Inslee wrote in an announcement. “Everyone is eager to resume the quality education and programming these young men need, but that will only be possible when we address this dangerous overcrowding situation. We need more space, it’s as simple as that.”
Inslee’s proposal follows an intake freeze at two DCYF facilities over the summer, which led to groups calling on the governor to fire DCYF Secretary Ross Hunter. Many laid blame on the “JR to 25” policy that allows young men to remain in DCYF facilities for years after turning 18.
Green Hill School, one of the most crowded DCYF facilities, has increased its population by 60% since last year. According to Inslee’s announcement, the facility has a capacity of around 180 but has accommodated more than 220 since this past spring, with most being violent felons.
The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs also released a report in July noting a 24% rise in juvenile arrests since 2023. During Monday’s press conference, Inslee called it a “juvenile crime wave” and said this proposal is the only short-term solution for the crisis.
“Of the current population, 70 residents are serving longer sentences that will require them to be transferred to a Department of Corrections facility when they turn 25,” according to Inslee’s announcement.
However, he noted that even with the new facility in Aberdeen, the Green Hill School will still be overcapacity. DCYF previously attempted to free up some space at Green Hill by transferring 43 intimates from 21 to 25 years old to an adult facility, but the courts blocked the effort.
“This new facility is an important step towards alleviating the immediate safety issues at Green Hill, but it’s not the only step we need,” Hunter wrote in the announcement.
DCYF looked at nearly a dozen potential sites before choosing Aberdeen for the proposal and will continue looking at others for more solutions; though, Inslee’s post noted that could include policy changes that “divert” who the state sends to the DCYF facilities.
He suggested that legislators work with the counties and courts to provide shorter sentences within the juveniles’ communities. Inslee also asked DCYF to look at opportunities for diversions as an alternative.
“The goal of JR is to give these kids and young men a real chance at returning home with the skills and education to be successful,” Inslee wrote in the post. “As the population within our JR system has evolved, we need the system to evolve too.”
Inslee authorized DCYF to begin preparing the site in Aberdeen and recruit employees ahead of a goal to open in February.
