Research Committee

Mission Statement (adopted August 13, 2003)

The mission of the Research Committee is to design, fund and conduct research projects relating to the problems experienced by racial and ethnic minorities in the Washington State Justice System.

Goals for 2010 thru 2015

• Maintain a collection of data concerning aspects pertaining to minorities in the legal community and judicial system, i.e. demographics of judges, court staff, state population, etc. 
• Conduct studies of the five topics listed below, as it relates to the Commission's mission and with the understanding that the information found may or may not lead to a research report and that these topics may change:
  • Disproportionality of DWLS III at the district and municipal court level.
  • Dispropotionality in the assessment of legal financial obligations in the courts. 
  • Disparity of results between public and private defenders.
  • Selective prosecution and the dispropotionality in deals made.
  • Exceptional sentencing of juveniles.   

Research Committee Members

Research Committee Meeting Minutes

Research Committee Research Reports