Spokane Valley Republican state Senator Leonard Christian is working on issues this session that he never thought would be on his agenda.
Christian is a realtor. But his main assignment is as the ranking member of the Senate Human Services Committee. His attention is on problems in the state’s overcrowded juvenile detention centers.
Christian, Senate Minority Leader John Braun and others toured the Green Hill facility near Chehalis to get a first hand view of the situation.
"It opened my eyes to just how bad the situation is and my worst fears were not only confirmed, but they were made even more concerning. And not just challenges with the safety of the inmates, but challenges with the safety of the employees that are there. They can't honestly find employees to stay, but the few that are left, there's times, literally, when there's only three people on shift when there's 58 inmates," he said.
Christian spoke recently with Doug Nadvornick.