Juvenile Crime

25 Stories

Law & Courts

15-year-old accused of killing his Fall City family tried to frame brother, investigators say

Investigators with the King County Sheriff’s Office accuse a 15-year-old juvenile of shooting everyone in his immediate family at their home in Fall City on Monday, killing five out of six family members. They say the teen also attempted to “stage” the scene and blame his 13-year-old brother, telling dispatchers that the 13-year-old had fired on others and then committed suicide.
Amy Radil
Law & Courts

King County judge finds state agency in contempt for keeping teen in adult jail

A King County Superior Court judge held the Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) in contempt of court Friday for failing to transfer an 18-year-old convicted of robbery to a state juvenile rehabilitation facility.
Ann Dornfeld
Government

More talk, but no resolution. King County Council remains at odds about youth jail

The King County Council will consider its official stance on jailing some youths for serious crimes, four years after Executive Dow Constantine pledged to end juvenile detention.
Ann Dornfeld
Law & Courts

No juveniles in adult prisons, Washington court orders

A Thurston County Superior Court judge told the state it has two weeks to return 43 young men it suddenly moved last Friday from the Green Hill School juvenile rehabilitation center to an adult prison in Shelton unless it can convince the court that the emergency move was necessary to reduce dangerous overcrowding.
Ann Dornfeld
Crime

Controversial county effort to divert youth criminal cases to community groups not meeting goals

A $16 million effort by King County to send most juvenile criminal cases to community-based diversion programs, rather than the court system, is having trouble meeting its goals, a county report shows.
Ann Dornfeld
Crime

Viral teen car theft trend has some Seattle 'Kia Boys' facing adult consequences

One teenager's charges for allegedly stealing cars using a simple trick popularized on TikTok technique raises questions about how to handle the flood of recent youth car theft cases - especially when they land in adult court.
Ann Dornfeld
Crime

Seven staffers injured in youth brawl at King County juvenile detention facility
Ann Dornfeld
Law & Courts

Inside Girls Court, Washington State’s first therapeutic court model for girls

Over the past two decades, while juvenile incarceration rates have been decreasing, rates of incarcerated girls have either stayed the same, or increased. In response, the Kitsap County Girls Court opened in June 2019 as Washington State’s first court system providing service just for girls. A few months ago, RadioActive's Lila Shroff went to see Girls Court in action.
Lila Shroff
Law & Courts

These advocates hope beds stay empty at new kid jail in King County

One of the most controversial building projects in recent Seattle history is nearing completion. King County’s new Children and Family Justice Center has been the focus of lawsuits and protests against what opponents called a “youth jail.” Judges and youth advocates say their focus will be on continuing to work for zero youth detention.
Amy Radil
Law & Courts

High court strikes down life without parole for juveniles in WA

Life imprisonment of juveniles without the possibility of parole is unconstitutional, the Washington Supreme Court ruled Thursday in a 5-4 decision.
Patricia Murphy

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