In February of 2019, several of Seattle’s neighborhood business districts transmitted a report to municipal elected officials that analyzes the impact of prolific offenders in our city.
“System Failure – Report on Prolific Offenders in Seattle’s Criminal Justice System” was commissioned by the neighborhood business districts in Pioneer Square, Chinatown/International District, SODO, Downtown, Ballard, the University District and Seattle’s tourism industry. The report analyzes a sample of 100 individuals with high frequency levels of criminal activity (four King County Jail bookings within the past year), community impact, root causes of problem behaviors, and why Seattle’s criminal justice system fails to reduce their recidivism.
In response to the the Prolific Offender Report, the Seattle neighborhood business districts have requested the following actions:
- Near-term mitigation of the neighborhood impacts
- Full scope examination of Seattle prolific offender population
- Dedicated public safety policy advisor in the Mayor’s Office
- Chronic safety issues/prolific offender task force
- New release protocols
- Explore wrap-around exit and treatment strategy for prolific offender population
- Greater, sustained police presence
- Victims advocate for impacted communities