WA Group Sought Treatment vs. Jail Time for Child Porn Convicts

More details are coming out about a report given to the Legislature last fall, concerning sentencing guidelines and other policies towards WA state sex offenders.

 Washington Sex Offender Policy Board Report (SOPB)

The SOPB submitted its findings to the House Public Safety Committee, last fall, after being tasked with examining policies in March 2022.

It concerns the Special Sex Offender Sentencing Alternative (SSOSA) program, which consists of expanded treatment programs for persons found guilty of sex offenses.

According to the report, the SOPB recommended people who were in possession of child porn (digital images, or other participation online etc) and those caught in sting operations (seeking contact with minors) be treated vs. imprisoned.

According to the report, recommendation #5:

"The SOPB recommends that a sentencing alternative similar to SSOSA be enacted for those convicted of violations of RCW 9.68A. related to Depictions of Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct so long as the person did not create the images in question."

Concerning those caught in sting operations, for seeking sexually-motivated contact, it read:

 "The SOPB recommends that a sentencing alternative similar to SSOSA be enacted for those convicted of an internet sting or other sex offense not involving an identifiable victim."

These sentencing alternatives consist of treatment programs, and the SOPB also made recommendations to expand and increase these programs.

The SOPB did say these programs should be offered to persons who have no prior convictions for this kind of crime, and no violent crime convictions within five years of the current offense.

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The report also argued that "depiction-only" (child porn) offenders should be treated differently than actual 'in-person' sexual offenders.