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Why Do Cities in North & East King County, Including Seattle, Need a Municipal Jail?
No one wants to build a jail. However, cities are responsible for jailing people charged with or convicted of misdemeanor offenses.
Most cities within King County have had contracts with the County that allow them to house their misdemeanants in the County’s jails. The cities’ current contract with the County expires in roughly four years.
Because of projected growth in its felony population, the County has stated that it will not have room in its existing jail facilities to house city misdemeanor inmates after the contract expires, and that cities should be planning a replacement facility for the jail beds they are losing at King County.
The County will continue to house those charged with felonies, as state law requires. That means that all the cities in the county have about four years to build new jail space for their misdemeanor populations. Thus cities throughout King County have been working to address the shortage of misdemeanant jail beds.
You'll find more information on this Web site about why these cities need to build a jail and where it might be located.
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