Clark County’s minimum security prison is set to close by the end of the year as the statewide prison population sits at slightly more than two-thirds capacity.
On June 26, the Washington State Department of Corrections announced Larch Corrections Center will close in the fall. The closure is in response to a declining incarcerated population, a news release stated. Only 70% of available beds were occupied across the department’s 12 prisons.
Larch has a bed capacity of 240, the release stated. As of last week, the facility had a population of 212, Chris Wright, a Department of Corrections spokesperson, said in an email.
The last full closure of a department prison took place in 2011 when McNeil Island Corrections Center closed, the release stated. Larch was identified for closure because it has a minimum security level, it is located in a remote area, and because the facility needed repairs that would have cost tens of millions of dollars, Wright said.
“We already have one of the lowest rates of incarceration in the nation,” Cheryl Strange, the secretary for the Department of Corrections, stated in the release. “DOC has worked diligently to lower recidivism rates, create better neighbors and ensure that incarcerated individuals don’t return to us once they get out. Of course, our continued success means we can no longer afford to operate all of the prisons we currently have.”
The department expects the prison population decline to accelerate over the next decade, the release stated. Part of that is driven by a change in drug possession law, which was brought on by the state’s Blake Supreme Court decision in 2021.
Simple drug possession is now a gross misdemeanor following legislation passed this year. Since only convicted felons are housed in Department of Corrections facilities, those with a drug possession conviction don’t add to the department’s inmate population.
Larch will be “warm closed,” the release stated, which means the facility could reopen in the future, if needed.
Larch currently has 115 employees, who will receive offers for other jobs at department facilities, the release stated. The department has also reached out to their counterparts in Oregon, Wright said.
The Clark County Jail will also help former Larch employees. On June 29, the county announced recruitment staff from the county jail services will visit the prison to share information about their lateral hiring process, Clark County Deputy Director of Jail Administration Joe Barnett stated in a news release.
“We value their staff’s skills, knowledge, and abilities related to public safety, and encourage them to apply for positions at the Clark County Jail,” Barnett said.
Two workshops are scheduled with Larch employees to discuss opportunities at the county jail, the release stated. Pay ranges from $30 to $40 per hour, and sign-on bonuses of $10,000 for entry-level and $25,000 for lateral hires are available.
More information on those opportunities is available online at clark.wa.gov/jail-services/correc tions-career-open-house.
Corrections to cut down use of solitary confinement
In the announcement regarding the closure of Larch, the Department of Corrections also announced it is committed to reduce the use of solitary confinement in its prisons by 90% in the next five years.
“The research is clear on solitary confinement,” Strange said. “It causes long-lasting harm. While it can be an effective way to deter violence, spending prolonged periods of time in isolation has devastating effects on an individual’s mental and physical health long after they leave our facilities.”
Department of Corrections leadership will work closely with experts in the corrections industry to develop a comprehensive plan to reduce solitary confinement use without compromising staff safety, the release stated. That plan will be unveiled later this year.
