The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (KCPAO) has released a progress report on its Safer Schools Strategy, highlighting a major shift in how the justice system communicates with local school districts to prevent violence.

Since the initiative launched in January 2024, prosecutors have made nearly 300 notifications to schools regarding students facing pending felony firearm charges. In the past school year alone, 78 such notifications were issued. Before this strategy was implemented, schools were often unaware of a student's pending felony firearm charges until a conviction occurred; the new system allows for threat assessments and safety planning at a much earlier stage.

Breaking Down Silos

“The Safer Schools Strategy is helping prevent tragedies and supporting safer school environments for all King County children,” said King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion.

The program aims to end the "siloed" nature of information sharing between schools, courts, prosecutors, and police. Diana Chen, Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney and the strategy’s lead, noted that keeping children engaged in school is a primary deterrent for crime. “If you can get kids in school and keep them there, they are less likely to commit felony crimes,” Chen stated.

Data Shows Downward Trend in Violent Crime

The progress report includes encouraging data regarding juvenile crime trends:

• Violent Crime Reduction: Juvenile violent crime (Class A felonies) has returned to pre-pandemic levels, representing 13% of total cases charged in the 25-26 school year—down from 14% the previous year.
• Lower Referral Rates: Total juvenile felony referrals from law enforcement are currently lower than pre-pandemic levels.
• Firearm Intervention: Last school year, 10 Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs) were served to remove guns from the homes of juveniles exhibiting escalating or concerning behavior. Approved by over 70% of Washington voters in 2016, these temporary orders are a key pillar of the strategy’s prevention efforts.

Collaborative Law Enforcement Efforts

The strategy is supported by J-Watch, a program launched in February 2024 that provides a dedicated venue for law enforcement to collaborate with prosecutors on warrants and case development. In 2026, prosecutors have already participated in over 20 hours of J-Watch meetings to solve serious juvenile cases.

The initiative is spearheaded by Diana Chen, who manages a caseload involving juvenile homicide and assault while handling every case of gun violence and threats involving schools in the county.

For more details on these initiatives, additional information on the Safer Schools Strategy can be found here