| HeraldNet - Snohomish County's online news source |
 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2010 3:39 pm |
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Local News 
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To save money, Lynnwood may cut jail sentences LYNNWOOD -- The city's budget crunch could end up shortening jail sentences for inmates.In an effort to slash jail costs, Lynnwood is considering cutting future jail sentences in half for some criminals. Others could lose multiple years from their probation terms. The city would add an officer to increase electronic home monitoring. Money is motivating the changes, according to city documents. Lynnwood is facing an $8.75 million shortfall for its 2009-10 budget in part because of slumping sales tax revenues. It could save more than $1 million in the next 18 months with the changes. The city's police department currently spends about $1.4 million a year for jail services. There were nearly 5,900 people sentenced in Lynnwood in 2007, the most recent year available. The average sentence was nearly seven days long. People serve their time in the Lynnwood Detention Center, which has space for about 50 inmates. Shorter sentences will also open up room at the jail. The city regularly sends inmates to other jails around the state to serve their time. Jail cutbacks will prevent the city from having to dismiss police officers, Mayor Don Gough said. "We're doing something on the sentencing side, because we still want our police out there protecting the community," Mayor Don Gough said. "That's the trade-off you get: We are still fully staffed with our police force." The City Council is expected to vote tonight on a resolution that would encourage the city's judge to "reduce jail commitments by one half and limit five-year probation terms to three years, and two-year probation terms to one year." The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. tonight in Council Chambers, 19100 44th Ave. W., Lynnwood. The police department's budget has few other places to cut, Police Chief Steve Jensen wrote in a memo. Non-jail cuts would be "devastating," he said. Any other program cuts would include job losses, deputy chief Bryan Stanifer said. No specific programs or jobs have been identified as alternatives, Stanifer said. Cutting jail services should have less of an impact, Gough said. Lynnwood's court deals mostly with misdemeanor crimes like traffic offenses, thefts and domestic violence cases. The maximum jail sentence the city can hand down is one year, he said. "It is not going to affect public safety to any significant degree," Gough said. Jail sentences will sill be handed out. "The only question is how long they need to enjoy the facilities." That question will ultimately fall with the city judge, Stephen Moore. Moore, who is on vacation through the end of the month, was unavailable for comment. The resolution gives discretion to Judge Moore, allowing him to ramp punishments up -- or down -- as he sees fit. "If somebody needs to get hammered, he has the discretion to hammer him," Gough said. "He retains absolute power. If somebody comes in, and they're deserving to spend a year in jail, by God, they're going to spend a year in jail." Chris Fyall: 425-339-3447, cfyall@heraldnet.com. Jail cutbacks The Lynnwood City Council is set to discuss cuts in jail services at 7 tonight in Council Chambers, 19100 44th Ave. W., Lynnwood. |
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