Bill would cover some inmates' rent after release

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Story Published: Mar 13, 2009 at 9:32 PM PST

By KOMO Staff

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- The Senate has passed a bill that would provide rent vouchers to offenders who earn an early release date from state institutions.

Under SB 5525, offenders would be eligible for up to $500 per month for three months following their release.

John Rabaca is pleased by the passage of the bill. Good behavior earned Rabaca an early release date from the state's Larch Corrections Center.

Rabaca was cleared to be released last November, but there was one problem -- he had no place else to live. As a result, his early release date was canceled, leaving him to feel like all his efforts have been all for naught.

"I've behaved. You know what I'm saying?" he said. "My ERD (early release date) comes, I've got no infractions, no write-ups, no incident reports, nothing. And they still take the good time due to (the fact) that I don't have an address."

And Rabaca isn't alone. Some 1,200 other inmates in the state's prisons must forego early release and serve their full sentence at the taxpayers' expense because they have nowhere else to go.

Sen. Mike Carrell, R-Lakewood, has an idea for a fix. He is a sponsor of the bill which instructs the state to pay up to $500 per month in rent vouchers for three months to help inmates take advantage of their ERD and get back on their feet.

Carrell says in the long run, his idea would save taxpayers $1.4 million a year.

"It's an incredible savings to the state of Washington and also is going to reduce the possibility (of) these individuals re-offending," he said.

Inmate Curtis Karlsen ran the numbers himself to see the dollar difference between taking his early release date and staying behind.

"It would cost the taxpayers about $55,150 just paying for me to stay here. So compare that to $500 a month, $1,500 (in all), that's a lot cheaper," he said.

The idea appealed to state Senators on both sides of the aisle. Cash-strapped lawmakers passed the measure 42 to 2.

The bill is now being considered in the state House.

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