WA. KING COUNTY The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Washington filed a lawsuit against King County on Friday, accusing the county of breaking a settlement agreement that regulates conditions for inmates at the King County Correctional Center (KCCF).
The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington State claims in a news release that staffing issues, transportation to court, treatment delays for mental health, and transportation to outside medical appointments are all examples of human rights abuses.
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An increase in suicides was also reported in the statement. The statement expresses “grave worry” about the lack of “ongoing mental health assessment, treatment, and out-of-cell time” for those confined to isolation facilities.
The lawsuit originated from an old settlement between the ACLU-WA and King County over prison conditions.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington state and the King County Prison Guild filed a class action complaint against the jail on behalf of inmates in 1989.
The lawsuit had several aims, including better medical care and protection from assault for detainees.
In 1998, the two sides reached a settlement in their lawsuit and formalized the terms of the accord in the Hammer Settlement Agreement.
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In the first of numerous successful ACLU lawsuits over conditions at county jails, King County committed to alleviating overcrowding, poor medical care, and inadequate staffing at its jail.
Several complaints and concerns have been raised to the ACLU concerning the conditions at KCCF, the release said. According to the ACLU, the county has failed to uphold its end of the bargain.
The ACLU issued a press release praising concerned citizens and media professionals for bringing up the issues.
Court-ordered mental health treatment for nearly 870 offenders across the state was backlogged at the beginning of 2023, according to a series of KING 5 Investigations.
More than a hundred prisoners who were found incompetent to stand trial were waiting in the King County Jail in December of 2022 for a bed at Western State Hospital in Lakewood.
In each instance, the judge mandated that the defendants undergo mental health therapy in an effort to restore their competence to assist in their defense.
In response to the complaint, King County Director of Communications Chase Gallagher issued the following statement on Friday:
“King County has worked closely with the ACLU for many years to ensure that inmates at the King County Detention Institution are kept in safe, secure, and constitutional conditions.
The downtown jail, like many other businesses and government agencies across the country, has struggled with testing, quarantining, and vaccinations since the outbreak of the COVID virus.
Who is booked into King County Jail or how long they are held is not under the jurisdiction of King County.
King County has taken major measures to address workforce shortages, such as implementing signing bonuses for new recruits and making significant modifications to operations, both of which have yielded observable gains.
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Limiting criminal bookings, as recommended by the ACLU, is not the solution. Inmates who have been arrested by the police are housed at the King County Prison.
King County cannot release or refuse to book a suspect for a felony offense without the consent of the suspect or the arresting agency.
It’s sad that the ACLU has chosen litigation over further dialogue and partnership, but King County will keep pushing for solutions that ensure the downtown jail’s inmates are kept safe and inhumane conditions.”
