Data Mining Criminal Records By Pierce County Authorities?
Pierce County's 'High Priority Offender Unit' isn't as sinister as it sounds, explains Washington attorney Spencer Freeman—prosecutors always tracked repeat offenders; databases just make it easier. For those defendants, negotiations harden toward 'plead as charged or go to trial,' and prosecutors push the high end of Washington's offender-score sentencing ranges, though a defendant's score effectively caps above ten.
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Answered by Spencer Freeman · Pierce County, WA
Highlights
— why the 'data mining' unit is less sinister than it sounds
— the five-prosecutor high-offender unit and who it targets
— how negotiation gets tougher for a flagged repeat offender
— the offender-score cap and how scoring works in Washington
— his caveat: the process must be used fairly and constitutionally
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the 'High Priority Offender Unit' as sinister as it sounds?
No—prosecutors always tracked repeat offenders; databases just make it easier, so the 'data mining' label overstates it.
Who does the unit target?
A five-prosecutor unit focuses on flagged repeat offenders, dedicating prosecutors and investigators to that group.
How does it change negotiations?
For a flagged repeat offender, negotiations harden toward 'plead as charged or go to trial,' with prosecutors pushing the high end of the ranges.
How does offender scoring work?
You generally get one point per prior felony, but a defendant's score effectively caps above ten, beyond which added felonies change little.
What's his caveat about the unit?
That the process must be used fairly and constitutionally, not to harass someone simply because they have a past.
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