"If It's Broke, Fix It!"

We as a collective community within the Washington state prisons and a broader community network are working together to enact changes in the current criminal justice system in an effort to address institutional racism.

A collection of proposed legislation working its way through the Washington State Legislature could substantially change the sentencing of youthful offenders, as well as revise sentences for those who are currently incarcerated.

These bills are:

HB 1413 which will retroactively eliminate the use of juvenile felonies in the calculation of adult sentences and will also make adults eligible for resentencing if they had juvenile felonies factored into their sentences.

SHB 1282 which expands "earned release time" to 33% of the total sentence that an individual serves. This time is accrued through good behavior and rehabilitative programming. Currently, earned time is capped at 10% off for violent convictions.

HB 1344 which expands the pool of people eligible to have their sentences reviewed by the Washington State Indeterminate Sentencing Review Board. People who were under the age of 25 when their crime was committed could have their sentence reviewed after they have served 15 years, or 25 years for those convicted of aggravated murder.

SHB 1169 which will significantly alter guidelines around the application of sentencing enhancements and provide judges greater sentencing and resentencing discretion, which may also apply retroactively.

At the heart of these bills is a reimagining of how the State defines youthful offenders and sentences them. These bills also offer the possibility of retroactive relief for adult prisoners, especially those sentenced as juveniles, and address harmful legislation that was enacted during the 1990's "tough on crime" era which black and brown communities have been particularly vulnerable to.

Working together to pass these four bills through legislation would provide much needed relief for prisoners of color and incarcerated youth. It will significantly reduce the prison population, save tax payer dollars, impact our criminal justice system in a meaningful way, address racial disparities, and set the tone for changes we want to see in the future.

* (We are a collective cultural coalition that currently is residing at Stafford Creek Correction Center. A collective of directly impacted individuals that consists of the Black Prisoner's Caucus (BPC) Stafford Creek Chapter, Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Awareness Group (APICAG), Nuestro Grupo Cultural (NGC), and the Native Circle.)

For more information on these bills visit look2justice.org and https://linktr.ee/liberationmedianw

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