What are Misdemeanor Offenses?

All crimes fit into one of two broad categories; crimes are classified as either misdemeanors or felonies. Within those categories, there are subcategories that further group all offenses. The SCORE facility is being built to house misdemeanor offenders. King County has a legal requirement to house inmates charged with felonies. These offenders will not be housed at the SCORE facility. King County is not obligated to house misdemeanor offenders and because there is no requirement, they will refuse to accept these inmates after 2012..

Misdemeanor offenses are defined by the Revised Code of Washington as those crimes for which, if convicted, suspects would serve no more than a $1,000 fine and serve no more than 365 days in jail. While people convicted of gross misdemeanors can be in custody for up to 365 days, the average length of stay is approximately 14 days.

The Ricci-Greene Study revealed that that the following offenses make up the majority of misdemeanor offenses for which people are serving time:

• Driving while intoxicated
• Other traffic offenses
• Theft and property crimes
• Assault
• Domestic violence

Approximately 20 percent of the offenders are in custody for either misdemeanor assault or domestic violence charges.

It is important to remember that it is not the function of jails to decide who is actually in jail. Jails accept people presented to them by either law enforcement agencies, or individuals sentenced by judges. Judges are independently elected from the communities they serve, and are committed to upholding the standards of their constituents.