The King County jail earned exemplary ratings in meeting all conditions set by the federal government for housing inmates in a safe and secure environment, according to a letter this week from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) that successfully concludes a three-year review of jail operations.

“These findings from the Justice Department affirm the reforms we’ve made in two short years, while reminding us that effective reform must be ongoing and consistent over the long haul,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine, in thanking the federal monitors for their review. “Our employees work daily in an inherently volatile environment, and daily vigilance is required.”

Remarking on the “productive and cooperative relationship” with the County, the DOJ this week closed its monitoring of the jail begun in 2009 under a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) that set practice standards for jail and jail health operations.

“The DOJ letter and the final monitors’ report confirm that King County has a jail facility that appropriately balances the safety of our citizens with the rights of inmates,” said Claudia Balducci, director of the County’s Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention, who credited the hard work of jail employees at all levels, from both her department and Public Health.

“The Department of Justice said what we know to be true: the excellence of our jail and jail health staff has been the driving force behind our continual improvement in the jail, and I want to thank them for their outstanding efforts,” said Dr. David Fleming, Director and Health Officer for Public Health – Seattle & King County.

In a letter, the Chief of the Special Litigation Section in the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, Jonathan M. Smith, said he was “pleased to report that the County has now fulfilled all outstanding obligations under the MOA,” and that accordingly, “the Department of Justice now considers this matter closed.”

Under the terms of the MOA, independent monitors selected jointly by the Department of Justice and King County visited the jail every four months. At each visit during three-year monitoring period, they noted the County made steady progress, culminating with a grade of 100 percent in meeting the standards set forth in the MOA in the areas of protection from harm, suicide prevention, medical care, environmental health, and quality improvement.

Among the reforms and improvements to services provided by the jail that King County made or more fully implemented during the three-year monitoring period were: