SEATTLE, Wash — In a letter addressed to King County's Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention (DAJD) staff, County Executive Dow Constantine outlined a plan for jail reform.
The major bullet points in the letter highlighted Constantine's desire to end youth detention and instead, use the space once dedicated to it for community programs. He also wants to close the downtown Seattle jail.
The letter says after the pandemic has been brought under control, there will be a phased closure of the jail. Constantine said that the 34-year-old structure is obsolete and too costly to maintain.
Instead of outlining plans for building a new jail, the Constantine supports programs for "prevention, diversion, rehabilitation and harm reduction."
At a press conference on Wednesday, Constantine said the county must "reimagine" the facilities "in light of the realities of today.”
“Three out of every four dollars in county general fund is spent on courts and crime and corrections," Constantine said. "People are talking a lot about defunding the police, but we are paying an entire legal system money that could be better used to promote opportunity, and human potential and, yes safety.”
Kent Mayor Dana Ralph asked the county where those inmates would go as she worried they would be moved into the facility in her city, which she said could possibly lead to safety concerns from businesses and residents.
In a statement, Ralph said the Deputy County Executive Rachel Smith assured her that "the Kent facility would not see an increase in jail population" and that "the Seattle facility may change its model to a more therapeutic model, but that the physical location would remain in Seattle."
Ralph also stated that "the County has assured us that they intend to be a good partner with the City moving forward and would have early planning conversations if they intended to impact the Kent community with their logistical choices."
As for the fate of the Clark Children and Family Justice Center, Constantine announced on Twitter that he will commit to converting the youth detention units to other uses no later than 2025.
Since mid-March, the population at the youth detention center has been reduced to 21%. Constantine wants to keep that trend going, eventually using the space for community programs.
Since 2018, there's been a "No New Youth Jail" movement in Seattle, calling for youth detention to be abolished in the county.
But recently, protests locally and nationwide have called for "defunding the police," or diverting policing budgets to other health and safety programs.
Black Lives Matter Seattle-King County released a statement, applauding the plan, saying in part, "We want a system that supports youth and helps them lead healthy, productive and fulfilling lives. Their lives matter. Ending youth incarceration is the right thing to do for our children, their families, and all of us."
Constantine is also expected to speak more about his plans for the jail and detention center during his State of the County Address on Thursday.
KING 5 reporter Tony Black contributed to this report.