Washington state commission favors sentencing alternatives for sex sting offenders

[Jim Burton]

https://www.everettpost.com/state-news/ ... offenders/

The Washington State Sentencing Guidelines Commission has voted 7-2-3 (seven in favor, two against, and three abstentions) to recommend a policy to the Legislature that would provide alternative sentencing for certain sex offenses that do not involve a real victim, such as those in sting operations.

In 2022, SOPB submitted a report to the state Legislature that argued “based on the review of research and the effectiveness of treatment alternatives for individuals who commit sexual offenses, as well as the lowered costs associated with diverting individuals from prison while still holding them accountable for their actions, we recommend that a new treatment alternative should be created to expand treatment services to low risk individuals who have committed certain sexual offenses.”

Among those offenses is internet sex sting operations and “other sex offenses with no identifiable victim.”

The SOPB voted to recommend this policy in an 8-2-2 vote before releasing the report. That same year, the board recommended treatment over jail time for those caught possessing child pornography, as well as removing public notice and public comment before siting and permitting less restrictive alternative facilities for violent sex offenders.

[Jim Burton]

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/washi ... g-suspects

Washington’s State Sentencing Guidelines Commission has voted 7–2 to recommend lighter penalties for adults caught in online child-sex sting operations, urging lawmakers to create alternatives to incarceration for cases they classify as having “no identifiable victim” , according to Seattle's 770AM.

The category includes “net nanny” investigations where adults take steps to meet people they believe are minors but are actually undercover detectives. Three members abstained. Conservative talk-radio host Jason Rantz argues this recommendation fits into a broader pattern of Democratic-backed policy shifts that downplay or weaken consequences for adults attempting to exploit children.

Rantz writes that during the meeting, Washington Sex Offender Policy Board Chair Brad Meryhew reinforced the commission’s logic. He described these sting cases as “cases which do not involve an identifiable victim,” saying “most of those are attempted crimes or communication with a minor, with for an immoral purpose, with a victim who the person believes to be a minor, when in fact they’re a detective.”