We need to count our blessings that it was not a Renton inmate who was barbarically killed while in the custody of the Yamkima County Jail yesterday. It could have been.

There is no excuse for this kind of violence to be allowed in any jails, period. The press release below is not clear on whether this man was even convicted…it only says he was arrested for domestic violence. But even if one assumed he’s guilty, then this man had a debt to pay but not with his life; and now this inmate’s relatives will grieve for him the rest of their lives. Meanwhile, the rest of us need to ask ourselves how we could EVER expect someone in jail for domestic violence to become reformed in such a violent climate…95% of those incarcerated will be released at some point. It looks like Yakima was training him to get tougher, meaner, and more threatening.

Psychologists know that we can not subject inmates to extreme violence in jail, and then turn them loose in our cities and expect them to behave like model citizens. Furthermore, you can not let the jail system kill someone’s brother, son, or daughter, and not expect to get resentment, lawsuits and other fallout from their law-abiding relatives on the outside.

Our Renton jailers have been concerned about conditions in Yakima for the last couple years, and we have quit sending inmates there. We are currently in a legal battle with Yakima County because they want us to send our inmates back.

I must see REAL REFORM in Yakima before I ever consider voting to put inmates back there.

See the Yakima County Jail press release here