The King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) shocked nearly everyone earlier this year when its leaders demanded $11.8 billion to address the county’s homelessness crisis and budgeted very little of the funds to help those suffering from addiction or mental illness. This outlandish request has been criticized by people across the political spectrum, has led...

Seattle is considering a major spending package to combat homelessness. What’s unclear is if this package is in addition to the $12 billion spending proposal made by the King County Regional Homelessness Authority – which does little to address the underlying causes of homelessness.  KCRHA’s proposal would cost $12 billion over the next five years on...

On the latest episode of [un]Divided, independent journalist Brandi Kruse interviews King County Prosecutor candidate Jim Ferrell to discuss crime and public safety in the region. Read Change Washington’s Q&A interview with Ferrell here.

Now that Halloween is over and trick-or-treaters aren’t knocking on your door, here’s something scarier. Criminals could come breaking down your door instead, and get a slap on the wrist for robbing you. The King County Prosecutor’s Office recently started up a “diversion” program for juveniles that keep them out of the courtroom and a jail sentence...

Although many local, regional, and state elected offices are up for election, you could argue that the most important political race in our state is  for King County Prosecutor. It will in large part determine the future of Seattle and other cities in the county regarding public safety, crime, and business climate. While cities handle...

Who’s got experience, endorsements and a track record?

One of the cornerstones of public safety in the Seattle metro area is the King County Prosecutor’s Office. While city attorneys such as Ann Davison pursue misdemeanor crime, the county prosecutor handles felony cases such as violent assault, murder, rape, and serious drug offenses. At least that’s what they’re supposed to do. We’ve reported previously...

Earlier this week we introduced you to the King County’s Restorative Community Pathways (RCP) program and how it evades the judiciary section of the criminal justice system. Now, we look at how it’s actually run – and our recommendations on how to change it. The current program includes: Criminal youth dictating how the program is...

An effective criminal justice system balances the goal of keeping crime down with protecting victims and reducing the likelihood a criminal once released will violate the law again. A lot of factors come into play, but for the system to be effective it must acknowledge reality and human nature. It also must transparent and accountable...

Like any significant problem in life, public safety in Seattle isn’t going to get fixed overnight. It’s going to take time, effort, and patience. But another aspect of that is having people in charge willing to address what caused the problem and change things that aren’t working. Seattle City Hall and King County right now...