The Honorable Jay Inslee

Governor of the State of Washington

416 14th Ave SW

Olympia, WA 98504

Dear Governor Inslee,

While we understand the steps you have taken in order to ensure the health of Washington state citizens during this health crisis, we want to ensure these steps are also taken for those incarcerated in our state. If proper care is not executed by your office, we run the risk of the pandemic spreading like a wildfire throughout Washington State prisons. We suggest the following proposal to address this crisis.

A SUGGESTED DOC RESPONSE TO COVID-19

1) Release all prisoners whose crimes were committed before 1984, pre-SRA

2) Release all prisoners from the remote camp facilities throughout the state and use the camps to house prisoners impacted by COVID-19.

This will provide the DOC with 2000+ beds for the isolation and treatment of prisoners and staff impacted by COVID-19.

RATIONALE FOR SUGGESTION

State government is currently acquiring hotels as well as other building structures in parks and other lands to use as COVID-19 Recovery and Treatment Centers. All of this is being done, because it is anticipated that the number of COVID-19 cases in our state will surpass the capacity of our hospitals. If COVID-19 breaks out in the prison system, as is anticipated, the DOC currently does not have the capacity to isolate and treat large numbers of infected prisoners and staff. Given the National Emergency, releasing the pre-1984 prisoners and the camp prisoners in order to provide the DOC with desperately needed COVID-19 bed space is reasonable and justifiable.

The pre-1984 prisoners should be released because they are geriatric and the most vulnerable to COVID-19. Releasing Camp prisoners early does not raise a public safety concern. Camp prisoners have 4 years or less remaining on their sentences and are getting out anyway. Camp prisoners work out in the community every day, and therefore do not pose a public safety concern because they are already out in the community.

Once cleared out, the remote camps can then be used as quarantine facilities dedicated to the isolation and treatment of infected COVID-19 prisoners. Currently if a prisoner needs to be isolated for a suspected COVID-19 infection, DOC will isolate the prisoner at the same institution, which causes anxiety and fear amongst other prisoners at the same institution. Even though isolated, there is still the real probability for the prisoner to infect both staff and other prisoners. On the other hand, most of remote camps are located by themselves in remote areas. Immediately transferring infected prisoners to a remote camp, eliminates the chances of them infecting other prisoners or staff.

The remote camps will provide DOC with much needed COVID-19 bed space should the spread of the infection reach epidemic proportion inside the prison system. Collectively, more than 2000 beds would be available for use: CCCC 480 beds; LCC 480 beds; MCCW 321 beds; MCC/MSU 468 beds; OCC 381 beds, and CRCC/MSU 300+ beds.

In addition to providing emergency bed space, the release of these camp prisoners will also save the State millions of dollars. The 2000+ camp prisoners, cost the state an average of $40,000 per year and serve an average of 3 years at camp. Releasing them will save the State over $20,000,000; money that is better used protecting Washingtonians from the coronavirus.

Lastly, if God spares us and DOC does not need to use all 2000+ beds. Whatever facilities are not used by the DOC, can be used for the treatment and recovery of the general public. Thank you for considering our suggestion and we look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Gerald Hankerson