Charles Wilson, Paul Vincent, Ed Lake, JoAnn Plucker - December 1996

This report surveys the 50 states regarding their organization of children and family services, then analyzes the responses and supplemented information from national sources. In addition, case studies are described using five states that have undergone recent organizational or programmatic reforms in the area of child protection. These states are: Florida, Iowa, Maryland, Missouri, and Tennessee.

Scott Matson, Roxanne Lieb - November 1996

In August and September of 1996, the Institute conducted a survey of law enforcement to solicit information on community notification procedures throughout Washington State. The report describes sex offender harassment incidents and methods law enforcement use to reduce these incidents, including community meetings.

Scott Matson - October 1996

An April 1996 Institute report analyzed state statutes covering community notification; 32 states were included. This update includes eight additional states that passed legislation either authorizing community notification or allowing access to sex offender registration information. Arizona’s community notification law also was amended, therefore it is also included.

Roxanne Lieb - October 1996

In 1990, Washington State enacted a civil commitment law for persons found to be sexually violent predators. As of September 1996, 38 persons are housed at the Special Commitment Center in Monroe, Washington; 21 have been committed under the Act, and the others are awaiting trial. This paper summarizes records from the Special Commitment Center regarding the residents' criminal history, offense pattern, treatment history, and mental health diagnosis.

Steve Aos - October 1996

This research brief provides the latest information on trends in juvenile violence in Washington, based on court conviction and arrest rates.

Edie Harding - October 1996

The Washington Legislature in 1995 directed the Washington State Institute for Public Policy to evaluate the safety net created to address potential school district funding issues under the new special education funding formula. This study finds that school districts are receiving $10.5 million (62 percent of the amount appropriated for the first year) in safety net awards. Ninety-one percent of safety net funds were awarded for school districts under the category of Maintenance of Effort for State Revenues. The rest of the awards were made from the other two categories, Special Characteristics and Costs and High Cost Individual. This study highlights administrative issues to be worked on related to: 1) timing the release of funds, 2) greater education and access for school districts, and 3) an investigation of what criteria are appropriate for the categories of Special Characteristics and Costs and High Cost Individual.

Thomas Karier - October 1996

Prior to the recently enacted federal welfare reform, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996, Congress last changed the national public assistance program in the Family Support Act of 1988. States were required to develop Job Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS) programs to increase efforts to move welfare recipients into the labor market. In its 1996 supplemental budget, the Washington Legislature directed its Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee to evaluate our state’s implementation of JOBS. This report accompanies that review, and describes the operation of JOBS programs in eight other states.

Sharon Silas, Roxanne Lieb - October 1996

This paper describes how Washington State laws regarding child abuse have been amended since 1965. Each legislative change is summarized, allowing the reader to view the changes in state policy regarding abuse definitions and protected classes of individuals, as well as the amended categories of mandatory reporters. 

Robert Barnoski, Steve Aos - August 1996

The Washington Legislature in 1994 directed the Washington State Institute for Public Policy to study juvenile violence, teen pregnancy, and other at-risk behaviors of youth. The Institute was instructed to analyze these behaviors and evaluate the cost-effectiveness of Washington's efforts to achieve measurable reductions in violence and at-risk behaviors. This research brief is part of the Institute's plan to provide the Legislature and other interested persons with up-to-date findings on these topics.

Robert Barnoski - August 1996

This brief describes Washington’s juvenile court early intervention project administered at the county level. The purpose of the early intervention program is to keep participants from re-offending. The program targets offenders sentenced to probation for the first time who are assessed as having a high risk for re-offending.