News Archive
2023
November
11/01/2023 | The Department of Change: Amending Reentry for All
(Left to Right) Lieutenant Simons, Leslie, Superintendent Headley, Correctional Unit Supervisor Afalava, Administrative Assistant Jones pose for a picture at Crumbl Cookie in Gig Harbor. (Photo courtesy of Lukas D'Ambrosio Communications Office)
See Photo…
October
(Lukas D'Ambrosio, Communications Office)
TUMWATER – Earlier this year, Department of Corrections (DOC) Secretary Cheryl Strange pledged to reduce the use of solitary confinement in Washington state prisons by 90% over the next five years. A team including DOC subject matter experts,…
10/18/2023 | Narcotic Detection Dog Handlers Celebrate Graduation
K-9s and their handlers graduated from the WA DOC Canine Training Program.
(Photo courtesy of Brendan Baptiste, Communications Office)
See Photo Gallery
On one of the final days of summer, the Department of Corrections (DOC) Headquarters was filled with…
10/11/2023 | Powwows Celebrate Culture, Aim to Reduce Recidivism
Participants dance together at the powwow. (Photo courtesy of Chris Wright, Communications Office)
See Photo Gallery
The prison system in the United States has often been criticized for its high recidivism rates, the percentage of incarcerated individuals…
TUMWATER — The Department of Corrections (DOC) and Disability Rights Washington (DRW) have reached an agreement that will further improve the conditions of confinement for transgender individuals in the department's care and custody. DOC and DRW had been negotiating this settlement since 2019.…
TUMWATER – Following a ruling in the Department of Corrections' favor by a Clark County judge Monday, Larch Corrections Center (LCC), a minimum-security facility near Yacolt, will officially close October 10th. All incarcerated individuals have already gone through the classification process and…
10/04/2023 | KUBI Camp Returns After COVID Hiatus
KUBI Camp counselors and campers at Camp Dudley in August. (Photo courtesy of Chris Wright, Communications Office)
See Photo Gallery
Camp Dudley, a picturesque YMCA camp on the shores of Clear Lake east of White Pass, has sat eerily quiet in mid-August since…
September
(Brendan Baptiste, Communications Office)
The Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) celebrated a significant milestone as they marked its 20th anniversary of pioneering environmental and correctional reform. Founded in 2003 at Cedar Creek Corrections Center, the Washington State Department…
Jeremy Garretson, Northern Arapaho, leads the group in dance. (Photo courtesy of Brendan Baptiste, Communications Office)
See Photo Gallery
Connecting with one's culture has shown to be a useful tool during stages of rehabilitation. One innovative approach…
A gourd growing in the garden at Stafford Creek Corrections Center (Photo courtesy of Lukas D'Ambrosio, Communications Office)
Amidst the walls of Washington State Department of Corrections facilities, a transformative program has taken root, nurturing not…
August
(Lukas D'Ambrosio, Communications Office)
Washington State Department of Corrections' Residential Parenting Program (RPP) reshapes the lives of incarcerated mothers and their babies. This program allows women with sentences of 30 months or less, who come to prison pregnant, to keep their…
08/17/2023 | Beekeeping: A Sustainability in Prisons Project
(Brendan Baptiste, Communications Office)
In an innovative approach to rehabilitation, prisons around Washington State have supported honeybee programs that offer incarcerated individuals a unique opportunity to learn new skills and to contribute positively to society. This program involves…