The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has launched the Safer Schools Strategy addressing rising juvenile gun violence and serious crimes, despite overall gun violence decreasing countywide.
The number of shooting victims aged 0-17 doubled in 2024 compared to 2019, with the serious juvenile crime rate increasing since 2022.
King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion emphasized the situation’s urgency: “While overall gun violence is going down in King County, the number of school-aged shooting victims has doubled since 2019. That’s unacceptable. That’s why we launched the Safer Schools Strategy in 2024: to improve how schools respond to threats before violence happens.”
The strategy focuses on enhancing school threat assessment programs, ensuring timely information sharing between schools and law enforcement, and prioritizing school attendance as a protective factor.
Over the past two years, prosecutors have sent 200 notifications to school districts about students with pending felony firearm charges.
The initiative includes increased communication between courts, schools, and juvenile probation; earlier interventions for youth with lower-level offenses; and a new Extreme Risk Protection Orders pilot program. Statewide efforts involve training for prosecutors and law enforcement, advising on legislation, and participating in school safety committees.
Individual action components include increased communication between courts, schools, and juvenile probation regarding high-risk, high-need students on supervision and release conditions, with continued emphasis on school attendance. Over 200 district notifications have been sent for students with felony firearm offenses.
Earlier interventions for youth with lower-level offenses include behavioral health assessments, school enrollment, and attendance requirements. The strategy connects School Reengagement Teams with Court Diversion and Probation and strengthens coordination with law enforcement to advise on investigations and search warrants.
“J-Watch” weekly virtual “office hours” hosted by KCPAO’s Juvenile Division assist and share information with detectives, supplementing ongoing regular communication.
A new Extreme Risk Protection Orders pilot program deploys a civil rather than criminal tool to intervene with high-risk students who may have firearm access.
Statewide action includes engaging with the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction School Safety and Student Well-being Advisory Committee and Gang Taskforce.
Statewide training for prosecutors and law enforcement on RCW 13.40.740 Youth Access to Counsel includes 2025 J-Watch Training October 28 and Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys September 26. 2024 training included J-Watch 2024 Training, Crisis Intervention Team Trainings, KCSO and DAJD Trainings, and J-WATCH Tour.
The office advised on House Bill 1536, which sought to toughen penalties for unlawful firearm possession, targeting repeat and violent offenders. Prosecutors will present at the 2025 BECCA Conference about the relationship between chronic absenteeism and juvenile crime.
District and school action includes the CLASS project, a partnership between KCPAO, Executive’s Office, and University of Washington developing a prioritization grid toolkit helping districts evaluate current school threat assessment procedures and identify improvements within existing resources.
School district trainings on the Safer School Strategy include participation in District Security Advisory Committees and Threat Assessment Teams, coordinating between District Safety and Attendance teams and King County Juvenile Court Probation Services.
