No fixes on horizon for crowding crisis in WAs youth prisons

Green Hill School, a juvenile detention center in Chehalis, has struggled with overcrowding for nearly two years, housing between 220 and 240 minors while designed for 180. Lawmakers left Olympia without passing critical reforms, which left officials frustrated. Although a new facility in Aberdeen is set to open later this year, it will not resolve the ongoing crisis. Two proposed bills aimed at addressing the issue stalled in the House, despite bipartisan support for Senate Bill 5278, which regulated transfers to adult prison. Senate Bill 5296, sponsored by Claire Wilson, sought to divert youth from detention but faced partisan opposition.

Wilson expressed disappointment for the young people affected by the legislative inaction. The overcrowding crisis has led to the transfer of 43 minors to adult prison and a temporary halt on new admissions. Without legislative changes, projections indicate that Green Hill's population could rise to 280 by 2026, raising serious concerns about safety and rehabilitation.