Governor Gregoire's Budget for Public Safety
“Let’s work together to protect Washington families from crime and make sure the state is prepared for emergencies.”
Treats and confines offenders
Keeps communities safe from felons. Reduces repeat criminal activity, confines felony offenders, keeps track of offenders after they complete their sentences and helps former offenders become productive members of society. $86.2 million total
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Reduces recidivism and crime. Expands and coordinates programs to target the primary causes of repeat criminal activity, emphasizing education, workforce skills and treatment programs that address dependency and mental health issues. Provides employment opportunities for people leaving prison, reducing the risk that they will commit future crimes. These efforts are projected to eliminate the need for at least one 1,000-bed prison by 2017. $24.6 million GF-State
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Incarcerates offenders. Constructs 476 additional prison beds to meet forecasts of incoming offenders and ensure a safe working environment for prison staff. $37.3 million Capital
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Confines dangerous sex offenders. Completes construction of the Special Commitment Center on McNeil Island. $21 million Capital
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Treats illness. Ensures that mentally ill and sex offenders are better managed and receive the treatment they need both before and after release from prison to reduce the risk they pose to the community. $2.6 million GF-State, $100,000 federal funds
Helps troubled kids. Reduces youth criminal behavior by involving families and communities, better managing kids in institutions and integrating treatment throughout the juvenile system. $7.7 million total
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Involves communities. Helps local communities, families and friends use scientifically proven treatment strategies for at-risk youth. $2.8 million Reinvesting in Youth Account
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Better manages juvenile facilities. Improves safety at Juvenile Rehabilitation facilities. $1.8 million GF-State
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Provides comprehensive treatment. Uses an integrated treatment model to provide a continuum of care and encourage families to get involved to reduce repetitive criminal behavior. $3.1 million GF-State
Prevents and responds to crime
Protects children on the internet. Puts more detectives to work in the State Patrol’s Internet Crimes Against Children Detachment to keep our kids safe from online predators. $282,000 GF-State, $187,000 State Patrol Highway Account-State
Invests in new crime-fighting tools. Deploys the JINDEX justice information network so that cops on the street will have better real-time access to criminal histories and investigative information. Allows all law enforcement partners to process and file traffic citation and vehicle collision data through eTrip, an automated system that provides better information and saves time. $4.3 million Multiple Fund Sources
Determines competency to stand trial. Reduces delays in the required evaluation and treatment of people accused of crimes who may have mental disorders to determine if they are competent to stand trial. $1.2 million GF-State
Expands forensic laboratory services. Reduces the wait time for crime scene and toxicology testing, which is crucial to the effective investigation of crime and prosecution of criminals. $4.6 million Multiple Fund Sources
Protects victims. Keeps victims of crime informed about the status of offenders and encourages their active participation in their continued safety. Maintains a statewide Automated Victim Information and Notification system (SAVIN). $3.2 million Public Safety and Education Account-State
Guards our border. Facilitates secure and speedy border crossings between Washington and British Colombia, in anticipation of the 2010 Olympic Games. Introduces a voluntary state alternative driver license and identification card with enhanced security features to ease border crossings for our citizens. Improves border security with better technology and validation of citizenship at the time the new license or ID is issued. $9 million Highway Safety Account-State
Prepares for disasters and emergencies
Improves emergency communications. Expands the geographic coverage and number of emergency interoperable communications channels available to Washington public safety providers. Uses improved technology to integrate local radio systems, so that first responders can more easily talk to each other at disaster sites. Creates a pilot digital communications program in Homeland Security Region 1 to prepare for the 2010 Olympic Games. $3 million GF-State, $10 million Enhanced 911Account-State
Maps schools to protect kids. Provides public safety officials with up-to-date information on school layout, utilities, personnel and evacuation routes in order to effectively respond to emergencies and protect students at public schools. Completes the mapping program with comprehensive emergency assessments of the final 725 schools. $6.2 million Capital
Alerts residents to breaking disasters. Expands and improves the signal quality of the Emergency Alert System, which provides critical information to the public and government officials about how to save lives and property during natural disasters and evacuations. Expands coverage to 95 percent of the state’s population and provides a secure internet-based system that will be more reliable. $276,000 GF-State
Provides backup for safety infrastructure. Expands the Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Center in eastern Washington so that the State Patrol’s mission-critical data and telecommunications systems will remain operational if there is a large-scale disaster. $795,000 GF-State, $1.5 million State Patrol Highway Account-State
Plans and trains for emergencies. Develops plans and training exercises for state, local and federal agencies so that each agency is ready to respond to different types of disasters and emergencies. $547,000 GF-State
Keeps roads safe
Improves commercial vehicle safety. Requires a higher level of skills and knowledge from commercial vehicle drivers and requires that they pass more stringent tests before obtaining a commercial driver license. $2.9 million Highway Safety Fund-State
Stops drunk drivers. Uses in-car video cameras, new breath test equipment and improved information technology to combat drunken driving. $1.4 million State Patrol Highway Account-State
Reduces motorcycle deaths. Educates riders on how to ride safely. Expands the Motorcycle Task Force’s three-prong initiative focusing on skills, education and enforcement to limit the number of motorcycle riders killed and injured on Washington roads. $716,000 Motorcycle Safety Education Account-State