SEATTLE - The state may soon reduce the amount of jail time served by felons who violate probation.
It sounds like a reward for bad behavior, but community corrections officers believe it will save money - and keep neighborhoods safer.
Community corrections officers Emily Isaacs and Chris Salindron are in the midst of the change. Every week, they make the rounds of the felons they monitor, checking to make sure that ex-cons are following the rules of their release.
But the state may soon alter the way Isaacs and Salindron handle offenders who don't comply.
The new approach is to arrest ex-felons on the spot when they fail a drug test or don't check in with their supervision officer - but only keep them in jail up to three days.
"This is a bold move for the way we handle the violations," says Jim Harms, Northwest regional administrator for the state Department of Corrections.
Harms says "swift and certain" sanctions are a better deterrent than the current system, where felons can go weeks without suffering the consequences of their actions.
Sarah Thomas, who is under community supervision, says drop-in visits and threat of instant jail time keep her flying straight.
"It helps me stay on my toes. It helps me stay doing what I'm supposed to be doing," she says.
The Department of Corrections believes that if it can get the offender's attention and change their behavior, it all makes sense.
The department also says the new program won't require new staff - and will actually save money. And they plan to put the savings to better uses.
"We'll reinvest those dollars in programming for the offenders," says Harms.
Offender services could be expanded to include more drug and alcohol treatment and increased job-training.
Once the message sinks in, the belief is that released felons would be more likely to follow the rules living on the outside.
"I think a person should go straight to jail if they are doing something wrong," says Timothy Casey, who is also under community supervision.
The "swift and certain" legislation is now on the governor's desk and needs her signature to become law.
It sounds like a reward for bad behavior, but community corrections officers believe it will save money - and keep neighborhoods safer.
Community corrections officers Emily Isaacs and Chris Salindron are in the midst of the change. Every week, they make the rounds of the felons they monitor, checking to make sure that ex-cons are following the rules of their release.
But the state may soon alter the way Isaacs and Salindron handle offenders who don't comply.
The new approach is to arrest ex-felons on the spot when they fail a drug test or don't check in with their supervision officer - but only keep them in jail up to three days.
"This is a bold move for the way we handle the violations," says Jim Harms, Northwest regional administrator for the state Department of Corrections.
Harms says "swift and certain" sanctions are a better deterrent than the current system, where felons can go weeks without suffering the consequences of their actions.
Sarah Thomas, who is under community supervision, says drop-in visits and threat of instant jail time keep her flying straight.
"It helps me stay on my toes. It helps me stay doing what I'm supposed to be doing," she says.
The Department of Corrections believes that if it can get the offender's attention and change their behavior, it all makes sense.
The department also says the new program won't require new staff - and will actually save money. And they plan to put the savings to better uses.
"We'll reinvest those dollars in programming for the offenders," says Harms.
Offender services could be expanded to include more drug and alcohol treatment and increased job-training.
Once the message sinks in, the belief is that released felons would be more likely to follow the rules living on the outside.
"I think a person should go straight to jail if they are doing something wrong," says Timothy Casey, who is also under community supervision.
The "swift and certain" legislation is now on the governor's desk and needs her signature to become law.