King County Jail extends deadline, will accept inmates from other cities beyond 2012

The King County Jail has decided to continue taking misdemeanor inmates from surrounding cities beyond the Dec. 31, 2012, cutoff date it set earlier.

The county said it was extending the deadline because overcrowding has eased at the county's downtown jail and its Regional Justice Center in Kent, in part because Seattle police are booking fewer inmates and courts are coming up with sentencing alternatives other than jail.

Interim King County Executive Kurt Triplett said the county this summer will negotiate specific dates with the cities beyond which it will not accept misdemeanor inmates. Such inmates serve sentences of a year or less, for crimes such as drunken driving and petty theft.

The county's downtown and Kent jails will continue accepting felony inmates.

In anticipation of the 2012 deadline, cities in South King County began looking for a site to build a new jail for misdemeanor inmates. Plans also began to add an annex to the downtown Seattle jail and to build a new municipal jail that would serve cities in the north and east.

"The drop in jail use gives us an opportunity to take a more collaborative and regional approach in examining options for future jail space needs," said Triplett. "Jails are very expensive and it is important that we make the most cost-effective decision for the region."

Seattle City Councilmember Tim Burgess said he was happy about the deadline extension, and that the county and cities need to talk about what it means for plans for the new jails.

The county, not cities, should provide jail services, Burgess said. "Those of us in city government would like to avoid a city jail."

Armando Montaño: 206-464-2347