Talk:Special Commitment Center

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"It is controversial in that it allows the involuntary commitment of people who have served their judge-ordered sentence." This sentence needs a citation and rewording that makes it clear who finds the practice controversial. (I'd expect maybe the News Tribune may be somewhere to look for a verifiable citation).

This article should probably be merged into McNeil Island Corrections Center if an article shows up for it. Whitejay²⁵¹ 22:40, 13 July 2006 (UTC)

No, it is not part of the McNeil Island Corrections Center. It is run by the Department of Social and Health Services. Yllt (talk) 23:24, 17 March 2011 (UTC)

With respect to the above comment that this article ought to be merged with McNeil Island Corrections Center: These are two separate institutions with very different populations and goals. One is a correctional facility, the other a mental health facility. They were once in the same facility, but this has not been the case for several years. They are now merely on the same island. They should not be confused or merged. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Edgarwing (talk • contribs) 08:39, 6 September 2009 (UTC)

The following statement in the article is a misleading statement not backed up by fact or reference thereto: "But in a nut shell what is happening is housing of sexual offenders who can never be released back into the public." This should be rewritten in a more objective way or be backed up with facts and reputable references.

The following paragraph does not belong on in this article, at least without more context: "On the other hand, in the mid 1980's, Washington State instituted so-called "S-100 Hearings" to allow the containment of supposedly dangerous prisoners. In fact, threats of S-100 Hearings were pervasive in the Washington State prison system throughout the '80's. These threats were frequently used for coercion of inmates engaged in uncooperative behaviour such as filing habeas corpus actions, or contesting unlawful actions of prison staff." I have removed it. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Edgarwing (talk • contribs) 05:25, 8 September 2009 (UTC)

This article lacks context. It appears to discuss primarily the Community Protection Act of 1990 (codified at RCW ch. 71.09, http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=71.09), but is misleadingly titled Special Commitment Center (SCC) and includes a stub referring to Washington's penal system. The SCC is a total confinement, mental health treatment program for persons adjudicated as Sexually Violent Predators as that term is defined at RCW 71.09.020(18). The program operates under the auspices of the Department of Social and Health Services and is not connected with the Department of Corrections, a different state agency. The location of the facility has changed over the years. The current facility is on McNeil Island in Pierce County, Washington, approximately 20 minutes by ferry from Steilacoom, WA. That facility was newly constructed on an approximately 26 acre campus and was placed in use in mid-2004. Also on McNeil Island, several miles away from the SCC, is the McNeil Island Corrections Center (MICC), opereated by the Washington State Department of Corrections.

Because this article seems to focus on Washington's Community Protection Act (RCW 71.09), and whether the Act is controversial (it certainly is, although the SCOTUS has upheld challenges to the program, Kansas v. Hendrix, Young v. Seling- cites to follow), then I suggest the article be rewritten to discuss the Act, how it works, the type of treatment provided to residents of the SCC who choose to participate in that treatment, the Turay Injunction (a case that lasted over 14 years in the Western District of WA (Seattle) and regarded the constitutionality of treatment and conditions of confinement for residents. DJHWood (talk) 21:15, 22 July 2010 (UTC) DJHWood Jul 22, 2010.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_Kenneth_Shriner regarding the impetus for WA's Community Protection Act.DJHWood (talk) 21:25, 22 July 2010 (UTC) DJHWood Jul 22, 2010