{"id":2325979,"date":"2024-08-17T14:15:02","date_gmt":"2024-08-17T18:15:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/washington-may-alter-stance-ending-lifetime-supervision-for-highest-risk-sex-offenders-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-08-17T14:24:50","modified_gmt":"2024-08-17T18:24:50","slug":"washington-may-alter-stance-ending-lifetime-supervision-for-highest-risk-sex-offenders-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/washington-may-alter-stance-ending-lifetime-supervision-for-highest-risk-sex-offenders-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Washington may alter stance ending lifetime supervision for highest-risk sex offenders &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwashington-may-alter-stance-ending-lifetime-supervision-for-highest-risk-sex-offenders-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2325979&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A recent discussion in Washington\u2063 state has emerged \u200cregarding a potential shift in the supervision status of high-risk sex\u200d offenders. House Bill 2178, introduced by House \u200bCommittee Chair Roger Goodman, aimed to allow level two and three sex offenders to petition \u200cfor discharge from\u200b lifetime <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/tuba-man-killer-flees-seattle-hospital-found-naked-in-dumpster\/\" title=\"\u2018Tuba Man\u2019 Killer Flees Seattle Hospital, Found Naked In Dumpster\">community custody<\/a> after a \u2064certain period. Although the bill progressed through committee, it did not reach \u200ca vote on the\u2062 House floor.<\/p>\n<p>The Sex Offender Policy Board is now reevaluating the concept of allowing offenders to end their \u2063lifetime supervision, prompted\u200c by Goodman\u2019s initial proposal. The board&#8217;s chair, Brad Mayhew, emphasized the \u2062need for a thorough examination of\u200c the\u2062 issues surrounding this potential \u200dchange. In Washington, sex offenders are\u2063 categorized by risk level,\u200c with \u2062those deemed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fda-authorizes-pfizer-vaccine-millions-of-doses-ready-to-be-shipped\/\" title=\"FDA Authorizes Pfizer Vaccine, Millions of Doses Ready To Be Shipped\">highest risk<\/a>, \u200clevels two and three, being \u200bsubject to lifetime community\u2063 custody post-release. <\/p>\n<p>Washington is notable\u2063 for its lifetime supervision law for high-risk\u200b offenders, making any legislative modification complex, especially given mixed opinions among various \u200bstakeholders, including law enforcement \u2062agencies and victim advocacy groups. The conversation continues,\u200c focusing on the \u2062ramifications of changing such \u200c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/jordan-explains-jira-tickets-on-censorship-industrial-complex\/\" title=\"Jordan discusses Jira tickets regarding censorship industry\">established legal frameworks<\/a>.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Washington may alter stance ending lifetime supervision for highest-risk sex offenders<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1732421\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><strong>(The Center Square) &mdash;<\/strong> In January during the legislative session, House Committee on Community Safety, Justice, &amp; Reentry Chair Roger Goodman, D-Kirkland, introduced&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/app.leg.wa.gov\/billsummary?BillNumber=2178&amp;Year=2023&amp;Initiative=false\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>House Bill 2178<\/a>&nbsp;to allow level two and level three sex offenders to petition to be discharged from lifetime community custody after a certain amount of time.<\/p>\n<p>The bill advanced from Goodman&rsquo;s committee but ultimately&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecentersquare.com\/washington\/article_5f2c7d66-b63a-11ee-9b97-4f32f22ef84e.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>failed<\/a>&nbsp;to reach the House floor for a vote.<\/p>\n<p>Now, the Sex Offender Policy Board, which recommended allowing a person to end lifetime community custody, is taking another look at whether it&rsquo;s an idea the board should continue to support. &nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The foundational question&hellip;that we have to ask is whether or not there should be a change (in state law) at all,&rdquo; Chair Brad Mayhew said at the board&rsquo;s Aug. 15&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/tvw.org\/video\/washington-state-sex-offender-policy-board-2024081038\/?eventID=2024081038\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>meeting<\/a>. Mayhew was among those who testified in favor of HB 2178 during its public hearing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>In Washington state, sex offenders are assigned level rankings from one to three, with one being the lowest risk and three being the highest risk to reoffend. Level two and three sex offenders are placed under state supervision known as community custody upon their release from prison.<\/p>\n<p>Washington state is one of the few that permits lifetime community custody for those deemed the greatest risk to reoffend.<\/p>\n<p>Noting their prior recommendations on allowing individuals to end lifetime community custody, Mayhew told colleagues that &ldquo;we didn&rsquo;t have the time to do the deep dive we&rsquo;ve done this time into a lot of the issues that are raised by this proposal, and I think that what we&rsquo;re doing here is a more deliberate process.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We also didn&rsquo;t have quite as broad a number of people at the table,&rdquo; he added. &ldquo;The recommendation we made perhaps wasn&rsquo;t as fleshed out as it could have been so that brings us back to this, so I guess that first question is &lsquo;Do we make this recommendation or is there evidence to support the continued use of lifetime supervision?&rsquo;&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>If the board continues to the support the idea, a challenge for any potential legislation will be determining the actual provisions. Although the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs was among the entities represented on the board to vote in favor of ending lifetime community custody, it opposed HB 2178 during its public hearing.<\/p>\n<p>Trisha Smith representing the Office of Crime Advocacy told the board at its Aug. 15 meeting that &ldquo;what I&rsquo;m hearing from our community&hellip;(is) that some of the concerns about the way it was presented was the lack of victim voice in the process and just wanting to better understand some of the assessments and determinations for when folks would come off of lifetime supervision, but there was support in exploring a pathway.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>One question to be answered is how long a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bail-fund-praised-by-kamala-harris-has-twice-freed-the-same-rioter-he-was-just-charged-again\/\" title=\"Bail Fund Praised By Kamala Harris Has Twice Freed The Same Rioter. He Was Just Charged Again.\">convicted sex offender<\/a> must wait after release before applying to end lifetime community custody. Under HB 2178, it was 10 years for a level two sex offender and 15 years for a level three sex offender.<\/p>\n<p>Mayhew said that &ldquo;we need to do dynamic risk assessments before somebody can be considered for relief from supervision.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Another potentially controversial issue is how victims of a sex offender should be informed if and when lifetime community custody is ended. Michael A. O&rsquo;Connell, Ph.D with the Washington Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers told the board that it&rsquo;s a&nbsp; &ldquo;double-edged sword. The notification and input of victims is a really complicated issue.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;As much as we want to validate and honor the desire of victims, to have their voices heard, we also need to consider the possibility of victims who want to think nothing more about this,&rdquo; he added. &ldquo;And that&rsquo;s going be a tough needle to thread.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The board&rsquo;s next meeting is scheduled for Sept. 14.<\/p>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1732421\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1732421\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Washington may reconsider its position on ending lifetime supervision for high-risk sex offenders (The Center Square) \u2014 In January, during the legislative session, House Committee on Community Safety, Justice, &amp; Reentry Chair Roger Goodman, D-Kirkland, proposed House Bill 2178. This bill aimed to permit level two and three sex offenders to request discharge from lifetime community custody after a specified period. Although the bill progressed through Goodman&#8217;s committee, it ultimately did not make it to the House floor for a vote. Currently, the Sex Offender Policy Board is reevaluating its previous recommendation to allow individuals to terminate their lifetime community custody status. &#8220;The fundamental question we need to address is whether there should be any change in state law,&#8221; stated Chair Brad Mayhew at the board&#8217;s meeting on August 15. Mayhew had previously supported HB 2178 during its public hearing.<\/p>\n<p>In Washington state, sex offenders are categorized into three levels based on their risk of reoffending: level one being the lowest risk and level three being the highest. Level two and three offenders are placed under state supervision known as community custody upon release from prison. Washington is among a few states that impose lifetime community custody for those considered most likely to reoffend.<\/p>\n<p>Mayhew noted that previous recommendations lacked thorough examination of various issues related to this proposal and emphasized that this time they are engaging in a more careful process with broader participation from stakeholders. He raised questions about whether they should continue supporting this recommendation or if there is sufficient evidence justifying ongoing lifetime supervision.<\/p>\n<p>If the board decides to support this idea further, determining specific provisions for any potential legislation will be challenging. While organizations like the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs voted in favor of ending lifetime community custody during board discussions, they opposed HB 2178 at its public hearing.<\/p>\n<p>Trisha Smith from the Office of Crime Advocacy expressed concerns regarding victim representation in discussions about lifting lifetime supervision and highlighted a desire for clarity around assessments used in such decisions while acknowledging support for exploring alternative pathways.<\/p>\n<p>One key issue remains how long convicted sex offenders must wait post-release before applying for termination of their lifetime community custody status; under HB 2178 proposals were set at ten years for level two offenders and fifteen years for level three offenders. Mayhew emphasized that dynamic risk assessments must be conducted before considering anyone&#8217;s relief from supervision.<\/p>\n<p>Another contentious topic involves how victims should be notified if an offender\u2019s lifetime community custody status ends; Michael A. O\u2019Connell from the Washington Association for Treatment of Sexual Abusers pointed out that balancing victim input with those who prefer not to engage further with their cases presents significant challenges.<\/p>\n<p>The next meeting of the board is scheduled for September 14th<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2869,"featured_media":2325980,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/prison-murder-released-typo-1024x683.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[33010,38398,38399,38397,4086],"class_list":["post-2325979","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-criminal-justice","tag-lifetime-supervision","tag-policy-change","tag-sex-offenders","tag-washington"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/prison-murder-released-typo-1024x683.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2325979","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2869"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2325979"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2325979\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2325980"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2325979"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2325979"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2325979"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}