Sharon Silas - May 1998

This topic brief discusses the rate of reported child abuse and neglect cases in Washington State between 1991 and 1997.  Information supplied by Washington's Child Protective Services (CPS) shows the rate of referrals and alleged victims of child abuse by various age categories. 

Sharon Silas - May 1998

The rate of youth in state-funded foster care in Washington State is shown in this topic brief.  The statewide trend in foster care placement between 1970 and 1997 is presented; county-level data from 1987 to 1997 are also listed. 

Mason Burley, Sharon Silas - April 1998

This report provides information on trends of "at-risk" behaviors of youth in Washington State as of 1998.  Since 1995, the Institute has published trends in the rates of violent crime, teen substance abuse, teen pregnancy, teen suicide, dropping out of school, child abuse placements, domestic violence, and foster home placements. These trends establish a baseline to assess statewide progress in measuring the outcomes established in the 1994 Violence Reduction Act. 

Scott Matson - April 1998

This companion report compares the 1996 county rates for eight indicators of at-risk behaviors of youth in Washington. County rates for all available years may be viewed on the Institute's searchable database.

Dretha Phillips - March 1998

The 1990 Legislature directed the Washington State Institute for Public Policy to evaluate the effectiveness of the Community Protection Act. As part of this evaluation, the Institute contracted with the Social and Economic Sciences Research Center at Washington State University to conduct telephone interviews with a sample of Washington State residents regarding the state's community notification law. The results of the survey indicated an overwhelming majority of respondents were familiar with the law and believed it was very important.

Sharon Silas, Scott Matson, Roxanne Lieb - February 1998

This report analyzes the projects funded by the Community Public Health and Safety Networks during the first year funding cycle (FY1997).  Information was obtained for 544 projects funded by 42 (of 53) Networks.  Project outcomes and measurement tools are examined, as well as the types of work performed and any results produced.  Projects funded for this first year lasted about four months.  Therefore, only initial results are discussed in this report. 

Donna Schram, Cheryl Milloy - February 1998

Washington State law provides for the civil commitment of extremely dangerous sex offenders. This study describes the 61 adult offenders who were referred for possible commitment as predators but for whom such petitions for civil commitment were not filed, during the first six years after the law's passage (July 1990 through June 1996). The subsequent criminal behavior of these 61 offenders was tracked in official records for the time period following their release from custody. During this period, more than one-half of the group were rearrested. The highest percentage of offenders were rearrested for nonsexual crimes.

Mason Burley - February 1998

The Family Resource Wage Progression Model (FRWP) calculates federal tax liability, earned income tax credits, food stamp benefits, and TANF (welfare) grants for low-income families with earnings under 200 percent of the federal poverty level. The FRWP model can be used to examine different child care copayment rates to determine the affordability of child care for families leaving welfare for work.

Jim Mayfield - February 1998

On August 22, 1996, the President signed into law The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA). The new law contains strict work requirements, lifetime limits for welfare receipt, a performance bonus to reward states for moving welfare recipients into jobs, comprehensive child support enforcement, and assistance for families moving from welfare to work—including increased funding for child care and guaranteed medical coverage. This law also gives states wide latitude in designing their own programs. Washington State’s program under this law is called WorkFirst.

Steve Aos, Robert Barnoski, Roxanne Lieb - January 1998

This report highlights the findings of the Institute’s economic analysis of programs that try to reduce criminal behavior. The Institute found that there are some interventions, if well implemented, that can lower crime rates and lower total costs. Some economically attractive programs are designed to reduce the odds that young children will ever begin committing crimes, and some are designed for juvenile offenders already in the criminal justice system.