Publications

A timeline and history of national and state changes leading up to Washington State’s Sentencing Reform Act (SRA). Includes a national timeline and a Washington state timeline.

Keywords: Sentencing Reform Act (SRA), timeline, history

A history and timeline of many of Washington’s Felony Sentencing provisions beginning in the 1990s through 2023. This timeline includes the history of WA’s felony sentencing enhancements from 1989-2023 and weapon enhancements from 1990-2023. These timelines are not exclusive of all events.

Keywords: timeline, history, enhancements, weapon enhancements 

This report is in response to a legislative request that the Sentencing Guidelines Commission (SGC) review the felony offenses included within each seriousness level of the adult felony sentencing grid and make recommendations for re-ranking those offenses onto a new proposed sentencing grid. The SGC was instructed to include any unranked offenses that it had recommended be ranked in its 2023 report, Criminal Code Review: Unranked Offenses and Drug Sentences.

Keywords: felony offenses, re-ranking, sentencing grid, drug offenses, offense seriousness

This report is in response to a legislative request that the Sentencing Guidelines Commission (SGC) undertake a review of the criminal code to support the ongoing work of the Washington State Criminal Sentencing Task Force. Areas of specific work tasks addressed include 1) an examination of ‘unranked’ felony offenses and including recommendations as to which should be ranked on the adult felony sentencing grid, and which offenses could be advisably repealed, 2) proposals developed to move and consolidate statutes, and 3) a review of sentencing for drug offenses to reduce the reliance on punitive sanctions and prioritize a therapeutic model.

Keywords: felony offenses, treatment, drug offenses, sentencing grid, offense seriousness

Slides from the April 15, 2021, presentation on Washington State’s Sentencing Reform Act (SRA). Includes an overview of the creation of the Sentencing Guidelines Commission (SGC), schools of thought on crime, the indeterminate sentencing system, and a timeline of national and state sentencing movements.

Keywords: Sentencing Reform Act (SRA), history, timeline

The Sentencing Guidelines Commission’s (SGC) presentation to the Criminal Sentencing Task Force that provides an overview of the Sentencing Reform Act (SRA), establishment of the SGC and the SGC’s most recent work.

Keywords: Sentencing Reform Act (SRA), sentencing grid, history

The Legislature directed the Sentencing Guidelines Commission (SGC) to review the Sentencing Reform Act (SRA) in Chapter 299, Laws of 2018. This report provides an updated review of the SRA as of 2019.

Keywords: Sentencing Reform Act (SRA), felony offenses, offense seriousness, offender scoring, sentencing grid, enhancements

The Sentencing Guidelines Commission’s (SGC) presentation to the House Public Safety Committee that includes an overview of the Sentencing Reform Act (SRA), the results of the SGC’s review of the SRA, recommendations for policy changes, and sentencing grid proposals.

Keywords: Sentencing Reform Act (SRA), sentencing grid, history

This is the final report following a 3-part series of presentations from The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center to supplement the Sentencing Guidelines Commission (SGC) review of the Sentencing Reform Act (SRA). This report collates the work completed by the CSG in its presentations on 1) current literature on effective supervision practices, 2) Washington felony sentencing approaches and trends, 3) recidivism, and 4) trends for people on supervision.

Keywords: Sentencing Reform Act (SRA), history, felony offenses, recidivism