2.56.031 - Juvenile offender information -- Plan. - Washington Statutes

Juvenile offender information — Plan.

The administrator for the courts shall develop a plan to improve the collection and reporting of information on juvenile offenders by all juvenile courts in the state. The information related to juvenile offenders shall include, but is not limited to, social, demographic, education, and economic data on juvenile offenders and where possible, their families. Development and implementation of the plan shall be accomplished in consultation with the human rights commission, superior court judges, juvenile justice administrators, and interested juvenile justice practitioners and researchers. The plan shall include a schedule and budget for implementation and shall be provided to the office of financial management by September 15, 1993.

[2010 1st sp.s. c 7 § 61; 1993 c 415 § 2.]

Notes: Effective date -- 2010 1st sp.s. c 26; 2010 1st sp.s. c 7: See note following RCW 43.03.027.

Intent -- 1993 c 415: "Pursuant to the work of the juvenile justice task force created by the 1991 legislature to undertake a study of Washington state's juvenile justice system, the department of social and health services and the commission on African-American affairs commissioned an independent study of racial disproportionality in the state's juvenile justice system. The study team, which documented evidence of disparity in the treatment of juvenile offenders of color throughout the system, provided recommendations to the legislature on December 15, 1992. The study recommends cultural diversity training for juvenile court and law enforcement personnel, expanded data collection on juvenile offenders throughout the system, development of uniform prosecutorial standards for juvenile offenders, changes to the consolidated juvenile services program and funding formula, dissemination of information to families and communities regarding juvenile court procedures, and examination of juvenile disposition standards for racial and/or ethnic bias.

     It is the intent of the legislature to implement the recommendations of this study in an effort to discourage differential treatment of youth of color and their families who come in contact with the juvenile courts in this state, and to promote racial and ethnic sensitivity and awareness throughout the juvenile court system." [1993 c 415 § 1.]