Everett City Council debates 30-day jail sentence ordinance for repeat offenders

EVERETT, Wash. — The Everett City Council will vote Wednesday night on an ordinance that would allow prosecutors to seek a minimum 30-day jail sentence for repeat offenders.

The crimes committed by offenders include assault, theft and public drug use.

KOMO News spoke with residents and business owners about the proposition many said crime is a huge problem in the area and added they're on board with keeping repeat offenders off the street.

“There’s a lot of homeless around here that are using drugs, and sometimes I find needles in my back door," said Tyler Meas, who owns Tyler's Donuts in Everett.

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He said he always sees people doing drugs right outside his business.

The new ordinance being proposed would target repeat offenders. If passed, defendants in Everett would face a mandatory minimum of 30 days in jail if they have two or more "prior offense" convictions within two years before their new offense and if it occurred within Snohomish County.

Qualifying prior offenses include assault, harassment, use of a controlled substance in public, loitering to engage in drug-related activity, theft, criminal mischief, trespass, or vehicle prowling.

"If someone commits a crime twice, I don’t think 30 days is long enough. It should be longer in jail," said Norman Rambow, who lives in Everett and is pushing for more to be done. “It has to be a harsher penalty for that crime you can’t just slap their hands and let them go back outside. That doesn’t work.”

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Defendants would still be able to opt for a diversion agreement that would get them into treatment programs. During a city council meeting last week, Assistant City Attorney Lacey Offutt spoke on the proposed ordinance.

“The vision is that it will be a tool to help drive people into diversions to avoid lengthy jail time," said Offutt. She added this would help get repeat offenders into treatment. "The 30-day jail time will impose enough time for them to detox and make clear decisions about their future.

Residents said criminals need to be held responsible for their crimes.