In this week’s segment of [un]Divided, Brandi unpacks the debate over who is at fault for the Camp Hope situation in the city of Spokane. With approximately 500 homeless people camping out on the state’s Department of Transportation land, city and county officials are at a standstill about how to resolve the encampment. The inability of...
This article is republished here courtesy of Change Washington. When tasked with a long, difficult undertaking it’s important to celebrate the victories when they happen. King County’s decision to nix a planned homeless megaplex in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District (CID) represents an unexpected and important success for sound homelessness policy, public safety, and common-sense governance. As we’ve written on...
In Brandi’s recent segment of [un]Divided, she details the controversy surrounding the proposed expansion of a homeless complex in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District. Specifically, the dismissal of the community’s concerns by elected officials and the recent decision to pause the project.
Crime across Washington has increased significantly in recent years. While it’s a local problem in much of the state, it’s the result of decisions made elsewhere. Some might naturally point to Olympia, where the state legislature has enacted numerous police “reform” laws handicapping law enforcement and enabling criminal activity. However, ultimately this is tied to...
Looming elections have a way of making politicians appear pragmatic. As public opinion sours on our state’s handling of the crime crisis – some Democrats are shifting their stance to stay in step. The question for voters is whether they believe that the sudden course correction will last past November. After staying silent on the...
On [un]Divided, Brandi Kruse hears the story of a woman who is speaking out about her attempted rape and how her attacker might not serve any time for the crime due to his mental state. One of the biggest challenges to Washington’s public safety crisis is how to prosecute violent offenders who are mentally ill....
In 2021 violent crime increased in Washington state by more than 12 percent compared to the year prior. That includes 325 murders, the most ever recorded since the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) first started to collect data in 1980. This enormous increase in crime did not come about randomly but was...
Earlier this year the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development revealed that Washington state is outpacing the nation in terms of homeless population growth. There are now an estimated 23,000 homeless people in the state – roughly the same as it was in 2005 after millions have been spent by both the state and...