Councilmember O’Brien’s Statement on Youth Jail Decision

Home » Councilmember O’Brien’s Statement on Youth Jail Decision

SEATTLE – Councilmember Mike O’Brien (District 6, Northwest Seattle) issued the following statement following the Seattle Department of Construction & Inspection’s (SDCI) issuance of a land use decision relating to the King County Children and Family Justice Center:

“Mounting evidence reinforces what communities of color have been telling us for years: jailing youth perpetuates a vicious cycle of violence, makes detainees more likely to re-offend, and disproportionately impacts people of color, particularly black youth. It is unfortunate that the permit application submitted by the County, with plans for 112 detention beds, seems to be inconsistent with the City Council’s vision for a city with zero use of youth detention, and the County’s stated intention to ‘fight for a world where detention for young people is no longer needed.’ While SDCI has given their technical approval of the plans from a land use perspective, I urge the County to go back to the drawing board to reflect community voices and the commitments we share towards ending youth incarceration.”

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