The legislature finds and declares that local government criminal justice systems are in need of assistance. Many counties and cities are unable to provide sufficient funding for additional police protection, mitigation of congested court systems, public safety education, and relief of overcrowded jails.

In order to ensure public safety, it is necessary to provide fiscal assistance to help local governments to respond immediately to these criminal justice problems, while initiating a review of the criminal justice needs of cities and counties and the resources available to address those needs.

To provide for a more efficient and effective response to these problems, the legislature encourages cities and counties to coordinate strategies against crime and use multijurisdictional and innovative approaches in addressing criminal justice problems.

Short title—1995 c 312: See note following RCW 13.32A.010.

Severability—1990 2nd ex.s. c 1: "If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [ 1990 2nd ex.s. c 1 s 1104.]