YACOLT, Wash. — Larch Corrections Center, a minimum-security state prison located in rural Clark County, closed Tuesday after a judge declined to intervene in the state's decision to shut it down, according to the Washington Department of Corrections.
Corrections officials announced in June that they planned to close the facility by October due to the state's declining prison population. But employees and other community members fought the state's decision, citing the prison's benefits to the Yacolt community and the contributions of inmate firefighter crews that have aided with wildfires in the area.
In September, a union representing corrections workers at the Larch facility filed a complaint in court, accusing the state of failed to bargain with Teamsters Local 117 over the closure of the minimum-security prison. They filed a motion requesting a preliminary injunction, asking the Clark County Superior Court to put the DOC's plans on hold while the case moves forward.
But on Monday, Judge Derek Vanderwood issued an order denying the union's request.
"DOC's decision to close Larch falls within its sound discretion and authority," Judge Vanderwood wrote, in part. "Because DOC engaged in an appropriate analysis that considered a variety of factors prior to making its decision to close Larch and the decision was made as a result of a 'lack of work,' the Plaintiff has not established that it has a clear legal or equitable right."
Shortly after the ruling, the Washington DOC said that it intends to officially close Larch Corrections Center the next day, Oct. 10. All inmates already underwent a classification process and were transferred to other correctional facilities throughout the state.
“This is the result of investments made by the governor and legislature in sentencing alternatives and more humane treatment of those convicted of drug crimes,” said DOC Secretary Cheryl Strange. “We have an abundance of minimum-security beds and need to refocus our resources to provide those in our care and custody with the mental health, educational, programming and health care access best suited to meet their needs. We are pleased the court recognized our authority to close Larch.”
According to the DOC, most Larch employees already accepted positions at other facilities or in separate state agencies. Ten people will continue to work at Larch and attempt to keep it from falling into disrepair — the prison is being "warm closed," DOC said, which means it could be reopened in the future if it's needed.
When KGW spoke to a DOC spokesperson in July, they said that the prison's remote location and the need for repairs and upkeep factored into the decision to shut it down.
"First and foremost, we'd say that it has nothing to do with the facility itself, or the performance of the staff," said Chris Wright, a spokesperson for the DOC. "It's primarily because of its location. It's remotely located there in the southwest part of the state ... on a mountain, literally, compared to our other facilities. And it's in need of an estimated $31 million in repairs and infrastructure improvements over the next decade or so."
For the time being, DOC said that the Washington Department of Natural Resources will evaluate a proposal to station inmate fire crews at the Longview Reentry Center. But if DNR decides not to go that route, those crews will instead be moved to Cedar Creek Corrections Center in Thurston County and Olympic Corrections Center in Forks to help fight fires in southwest Washington.
"DOC crews play a supportive role fighting fires by digging fire lines and providing meals to firefighters," the agency said. "Any initial delays in response time from DOC crews will not affect DNR’s ability to suppress a wildfire."
Washington state's population of minimum-security inmates has been on the decline for a number of reasons cited by DOC. Those include mandated released during the COVID-19 pandemic, a shift toward sentencing alternatives instead of incarceration and changes to sentencing laws.
In 2021, the Washington Supreme Court ruled that simple possession of controlled substance can no longer be a felony in the state. This year, the state legislature revised its laws to make drug possession gross misdemeanor instead. Everyone incarcerated by the Washington DOC has been convicted of a felony, which means that the enforcement of drug possession laws will not drive up need for minimum-security beds, the agency said.