Sex offenders — Release of information to protect public — End-of-sentence review committee — Assessment — Records access — Review, classification, referral of offenders — Issuance of narrative notices.

RCW 72.09.345
in effect
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(1) In addition to any other information required to be released under this chapter, the department is authorized, pursuant to RCW 4.24.550 , to release relevant information that is necessary to protect the public concerning offenders convicted of sex offenses. (2) In order for law enforcement agencies to have the information necessary to notify the public as authorized in RCW 4.24.550 , the secretary shall establish and administer an end-of-sentence review committee for the purposes of assigning risk levels, reviewing available release plans, and making appropriate referrals for sex offenders. (3) The committee shall assess, on a case-by-case basis, the public risk posed by: (a) Offenders preparing for release from confinement for a sex offense or sexually violent offense committed on or after July 1, 1984; (b) Sex offenders accepted from another state under a reciprocal agreement under the interstate corrections compact authorized in chapter 72.74 RCW; (c) Juveniles preparing for release from confinement for a sex offense and releasing from the department of social and health services juvenile rehabilitation administration; (d) Juveniles, following disposition, under the jurisdiction of a county juvenile court for a registerable sex offense; and (e) Juveniles found to have committed a sex offense and accepted from another state under a reciprocal agreement under the interstate compact for juveniles authorized in chapter 13.24 RCW. (4) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the committee shall have access to all relevant records and information in the possession of public agencies relating to the offenders under review, including police reports; prosecutors' statements of probable cause; presentence investigations and reports; complete judgments and sentences; current classification referrals; criminal history summaries; violation and disciplinary reports; all psychological evaluations and psychiatric hospital reports; sex offender treatment program reports; and juvenile records. Records and information obtained under this subsection shall not be disclosed outside the committee unless otherwise authorized by law. (5) The committee shall review each sex offender under its authority before the offender's release from confinement or start of the offender's term of community custody in order to: (a) Classify the offender into a risk level for the purposes of public notification under RCW 4.24.550 ; (b) where available, review the offender's proposed release plan in accordance with the requirements of RCW 72.09.340 ; and (c) make appropriate referrals. (6) The committee shall classify as risk level I those sex offenders whose risk assessments indicate they are at a low risk to sexually reoffend within the community at large. The committee shall classify as risk level II those offenders whose risk assessments indicate they are at a moderate risk to sexually reoffend within the community at large. The committee shall classify as risk level III those offenders whose risk assessments indicate they are at a high risk to sexually reoffend within the community at large. (7) The committee shall issue to appropriate law enforcement agencies, for their use in making public notifications under RCW 4.24.550 , narrative notices regarding the pending release of sex offenders from the department's facilities. The narrative notices shall, at a minimum, describe the identity and criminal history behavior of the offender and shall include the department's risk level classification for the offender. For sex offenders classified as either risk level II or III, the narrative notices shall also include the reasons underlying the classification. (1) In addition to any other information required to be released under this chapter, the department is authorized, pursuant to RCW 4.24.550 , to release relevant information that is necessary to protect the public concerning offenders convicted of sex offenses. (2) In order for law enforcement agencies to have the information necessary to notify the public as authorized in RCW 4.24.550 , the secretary shall establish and administer an end-of-sentence review committee for the purposes of assigning risk levels, reviewing available release plans, and making appropriate referrals for sex offenders. (3) The committee shall assess, on a case-by-case basis, the public risk posed by: (a) Offenders preparing for release from confinement for a sex offense or sexually violent offense committed on or after July 1, 1984; (b) Sex offenders accepted from another state under a reciprocal agreement under the interstate corrections compact authorized in chapter 72.74 RCW; (c) Juveniles preparing for release from confinement for a sex offense and releasing from the department of social and health services juvenile rehabilitation administration; (d) Juveniles, following disposition, under the jurisdiction of a county juvenile court for a registerable sex offense; and (e) Juveniles found to have committed a sex offense and accepted from another state under a reciprocal agreement under the interstate compact for juveniles authorized in chapter 13.24 RCW. (4) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the committee shall have access to all relevant records and information in the possession of public agencies relating to the offenders under review, including police reports; prosecutors' statements of probable cause; presentence investigations and reports; complete judgments and sentences; current classification referrals; criminal history summaries; violation and disciplinary reports; all psychological evaluations and psychiatric hospital reports; sex offender treatment program reports; and juvenile records. Records and information obtained under this subsection shall not be disclosed outside the committee unless otherwise authorized by law. (5) The committee shall review each sex offender under its authority before the offender's release from confinement or start of the offender's term of community custody in order to: (a) Classify the offender into a risk level for the purposes of public notification under RCW 4.24.550 ; (b) where available, review the offender's proposed release plan in accordance with the requirements of RCW 72.09.340 ; and (c) make appropriate referrals. (6) The committee shall classify as risk level I those sex offenders whose risk assessments indicate they are at a low risk to sexually reoffend within the community at large. The committee shall classify as risk level II those offenders whose risk assessments indicate they are at a moderate risk to sexually reoffend within the community at large. The committee shall classify as risk level III those offenders whose risk assessments indicate they are at a high risk to sexually reoffend within the community at large. (7) The committee shall issue to appropriate law enforcement agencies, for their use in making public notifications under RCW 4.24.550 , narrative notices regarding the pending release of sex offenders from the department's facilities. The narrative notices shall, at a minimum, describe the identity and criminal history behavior of the offender and shall include the department's risk level classification for the offender. For sex offenders classified as either risk level II or III, the narrative notices shall also include the reasons underlying the classification.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=72.09&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026

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