By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – A Green Hill School inmate escaped yesterday while on a field trip for his graduation ceremony in Seattle.
The 18-year-old was one of three students who traveled to the West Seattle campus of South Seattle Community College following the successful completion of a 14-week vocational program, according to a spokesperson from the state Department of Social and Health Services.
Mindy Chambers said it was about 10 a.m., before the event began, and he was on the phone purportedly with his mother, trying to give her directions to get there.
“They were standing outside and a gray Volvo pulled up,” Chambers said. “He got in the backseat, laid down and it sped off.”
Staff called 911 immediately to report the escape, she said.
Green Hill School in Chehalis is a medium and maximum secure facility for older juvenile boys incarcerated for felonies and operated by the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration, under the state Department of Social and Health Services.
Chambers wouldn’t disclose his name, hometown or the crime he was locked up for citing policies for the juvenile institution.
A warrant for his arrest for escape has been issued, she said.
The young man had already received his certificate of completion from the program – called the Job Readiness to Employment Project – and was set to be released from Green Hill sometime between August and November, according to Chambers. The length of time he’d been incarcerated wasn’t immediately available.
The trio were accompanied by two security officers and a program manager.
He was so close to becoming employed, and now things have changed, she said.
“Our next step would have been to place him with an employer,” Chambers said. “Instead he made the decision he did, and now he will be charged as an adult.”
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
There are many good rehabilitation programs provided within the fence of Green Hill. Is it really a good idea to take youth serving sentences for criminal offenses outside the fence of the facility?
These are not youth who have stolen a loaf a bread or are runaways. These youth have committed very violent offenses. Only 3% of youth who enter the criminal justice system in Washington are sentenced to serve time in JJ&RA facilities. Green Hill houses the most violent a criminally sophisticated youth in the state.
I’m all for providing rehabilitation programs to those who want to take advantage of the programs. BTW, by take advantage, I mean using the programs for the purpose they were designed for, not as an excuse to get off campus unrestrained with absolutely no intension of using the education and skills the tax payers are paying for.
Can rehabilitation occur when you reduce safety measures? There should be a consideration of safety to the youth in the programs, the staff accompanying those youth, the tax paying public and let’s not forget the victims of the violent crimes these youth are serving criminal sentences for. All of those mentioned, are less safe when the youth are being taken unrestrained outside the gates of the facility.
Then there is the issue of increased violence inside the facility. Many of the youth involved in the increased violence are the same youth who are being taken off campus unrestrained. The focus is on the appearance of rehabilitation, not actual rehabilitation.
I think the program is a great way to help get at risk youth who are about to be released gain real life job skills. I hope this kids bad choice doesn’t ruin it for the rest of those kids.
@ JD What do you suggest be done with the kids who don’t have to spend their whole lives behind bars? Not providing training is definitely going to hinder these kids in the real world. Better supervision is a great idea, I agree but I also see the value of acclimating these youth to things they have probably never had to do. Most of them didn’t finish school or have jobs before Greenhill I’m assuming do to their ages. Education is the key to turning troubled youth into productive adults. Ignorance won’t change anything for the kids and next time, like this boy is going to learn, its the big house.
This reminds me of a great idea some schlub had in 1979 – the Green Hill running club – where staff would go out jogging with select inmates. One evening some of the boys did their part and ran north. I don’t remember if they waved goodbye or not.
If I were his mother I’d be heartbroken. Instead of moving forward he stepped backwards. Dumb ass.
Well, you can thank Washington State Juvenile Justice and Rehabilitation Administration Secretary John Clayton. In the past few years Mr. Clayton has been increasing “dog & pony” shows like this one. It has become common practice to take residents from JJ&RA facilities in Washington (Green Hill) off campus, unrestrained and in civilian clothing to show the public that the rehabilitation programs that JJ&RA are using, are “working”.
Mr. Clayton’s “pet project” is called “Youth Voice”. He selects youth serving sentences on various criminal charges (such as Murder, Rape, Robbery and many other violent crimes) and puts them in civilian clothing. Then they are taken unrestrained off secured campus’s to various locations around Washington State. They tell their stories and what programs they are involved in and how these programs are helping them. They also have input on policies.
There are other “programs” where youth from Green Hill and other JJ&RA facilities are taken off secured campus’s unrestrained with very little staffing.
It was only a matter of time before an escape occurred. I just hope no one is injured or killed as a result of this.
In the past few years, JJ&RA has forgotten about safety and security of it’s residents, employees, victims of crimes and the tax paying public. The focus had been on the appearance of “rehabilitation” only.
There has been a huge increase in violence at JJ&RA facilities (especially Green Hill School). The number of fights, major assaults/injuries on residents and staff alike have increased tremendously. JJ&RA will tell you that this is a result of combining the mental health population of Maple Lane with the population of Green Hill. This is partly correct. But they have also changed how they deal with the more violent criminals housed at Green Hill.
Sharon, you should dive into why a “resident” from Green Hill was taken off campus unrestrained and why this is allowed to happen. Also, why there has been an increase in resident and staff assaults resulting in major injuries where medical attention in needed. Medical expenses the tax payers are paying for.
I’m sure your readers and the tax payers of the state of Washington would like to know.