At the top right corner of this page, you will find a venue for sharing on social media. When commenting or sharing the post, please remember to use #StopSexOffenderLeniency.

While powerful to spread the message, a hashtag in itself is not enough to amend the law. Advocates of soft-gloved sex offender policies are persistent, vocal, and well recognized by legislative committees. It will take repeated follow through to get legislators to actually take up the issue. Remember, regardless of your preferred political party, they all represent your voice.

Click here to find your district and legislator. You will get the contact info to your representative for your specific zip code. After expressing your thoughts on what you’ve learned, below is a section you can copy and then paste into your e-mail or letter.

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I am asking for the following changes to make the Special Sex Offender Sentencing Alternative (SSOSA) eligibility and sentence criteria the same as that of the Drug Offender Sentencing Alternative (DOSA):

*First, that under RCW 9.94A.670(2)(c), a sex offender is eligible for SSOSA only if they have no prior adult convictions for a violent offense that was committed “within ten years.” This would amend the current eligibility from “five years” and would make it the same requisite of DOSA under RCW 9.94A.660(1)(b)(ii).

*Second, that a sex offender is ineligible for SSOSA under RCW 9.94A.670 if they were armed with a firearm or a deadly weapon. This will make it the same eligibility criteria that a drug offender is subject to under DOSA at RCW 9.94A.660(1)(a). I understand that a person is not eligible for SSOSA if they commit rape in the first degree (RCW 9A.44.040), elements being if the person had sexual intercourse by forcible compulsion and “uses or threatens to use” a deadly weapon. However, I am specifically seeking a change that even being “armed” with a firearm/deadly weapon while committing a sex offense makes the person ineligible for SSOSA in the same way a drug offender is under the DOSA statute.

*Third, that a sex offender granted SSOSA be sentenced to serve one-half the middle of their sentence range, or twelve months “whichever is greater” in the same way a drug offender is under RCW 9.94A.660(2)(a). SSOSA at RCW 9.94A.670(5)(a) currently states up to twelve months or the maximum term within the standard range, “whichever is less.” Up to twelve months on a standard range of eleven years (RCW 9.94A.670(2)(f)) is too lenient.

*Finally, that a sex offender granted SSOSA not be allowed to serve all or part of their term of confinement in partial confinement as RCW 9.94A.670(5)(a) currently permits.

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