Slipping Out of Darkness

Protecting inmates from harm includes protecting them from mistreatment by jail staff, and the county facility is not fully compliant in that area either, says another member of the three-man monitoring team, jail consultant William Collins, a former Washington state senior assistant attorney general. The jail staff is doing a better job of applying force appropriately, he says. The use of restraint boards and chemicals such as pepper spray has decreased, he reports—particularly against mentally ill inmates. But he questioned the use of restraint chairs in some cases, and said use-of-force training needs improvement. In addition, the jail's investigation and reporting of incidents involving force is still suspect, he found.

The jail does seem to be making advances in the battle against diseases, however, says Dr. Ronald Shansky, former medical director of Illinois prisons and the third member of the federal monitoring team. King County, so far, is complying with medical standards to maintain an "adequate" jail atmosphere, he reports, and housing units "in general" are "well maintained." There were rare instances of plumbing problems, such as leaks, he said, and on his latest tour he didn't find any mattresses that appeared to be significantly damaged or soiled. Hygiene was maintained at appropriate levels, he determined, and incidents of MRSA seemed contained. "Overall, the program of identifying and responding to skin infections appears to be effective," Shansky says.

Brian Stauffer

Related Content

• King County Jail Reforms Given Justice Dept. OK - with a Cautious Caveat About Suicides
  March 2, 2012
• King County Jail Death: Female Inmate Dies One Month After Feds OK Jail Safety Reforms
  March 29, 2012
• McGinn's $41 Million Figure for SPD Reforms Questioned by DOJ and Tim Burgess
  May 15, 2012
• McGinn Tells KUOW the Price of Justice Department Reforms Would Be $41 Million
  May 14, 2012
• King County Jails in No Hurry to Change Strip-Search Procedures
  April 5, 2012

More About

• U.S. Department of Justice
• Lindsay Hayes
• Franklin Antill
• Suicide
• Mental Health

Like this Story?

Sign up for the Weekly Newsletter: Our weekly feature stories, movie reviews, calendar picks and more - minus the newsprint and sent directly to your inbox.

Privacy Policy Cancel Continue

Monitoring of the jail can continue into 2012, and if the facility is not fully compliant to the DOJ's satisfaction, the feds can return to court and seek further relief. Obviously, the county wants to avoid more extensive penalties, including costly fines. King County expects a $60 million budget gap next year, but, helpfully, overall jail costs have been decreasing due to its population decline. As well, Seattle and some suburban cities recently signed a new jail agreement with the county that is expected to add $900,000 more in revenue. Meanwhile, seven south-county cities are building a jail slated to open next year in Burien, taking pressure off the county system.

"I have asked DAJD and Jail Health to build on their progress," says a hopeful Constantine, "and continually review their systems with a critical eye to all practices involving inmate care." The county's working to make jail a nicer place to visit, he says, "and the Justice Department has taken note."

randerson@seattleweekly.com