Community supervision debate in Washington state

As evidenced by the Blakely ruling, Washington state is often at the forefront of cutting-edge sentencing issues.  And this AP article spotlights that Washington, after a high-profile crime, is now aggressively facing important reentry and community supervision matters.  The start of the AP article provides the background:

Gov. Chris Gregoire turned up the heat on the state Department of Corrections Monday, sending a letter to Secretary Harold Clarke requiring that the department implement interim prisoner release guidelines within a week.

The department had set a June 15 deadline for implementing new guidelines, which are meant to give parole officers a clearer idea on when a released felon who violates the terms of his or her release should be sent back to prison.  Right now, it's up to the officers' discretion.  "I believe a thoughtful collaborative approach to developing these guidelines is essential; however, I also believe public safety demands immediate action," Gregoire wrote.

The department released reports last week that were commissioned by Gregoire after three released convicts were implicated in the deaths of three Seattle-area law enforcement officers in recent months.  The reports, written by the Corrections Department and reviewed by the National Institute of Corrections, found that Washington's sentencing statutes are too complex and often conflicting.

The Washington state Corrections Department report can be found at this link, and the last 20 pages of this document includes the report from the NIC to that department.  Both reports are great reads for anyone interested in cutting-edge reentry and community supervision issues.