A year after mandating minimum 30-day sentences for people convicted of multiple public disorder crimes in Marysville, the City Council reinforced its commitment to public safety with new additions. The Council added malicious mischief as a public disorder crime and increased the minimum sentence to no less than 45 days for a fourth public disorder conviction or more within five years. The unanimous vote took place at the Nov. 4 City Council meeting.
The Council’s first action in October 2023 specified public disorder crimes including theft, criminal trespass, vehicle prowl and using illegal drugs in public. After reviewing the program’s effectiveness since its inception, the Council has now added malicious mischief to that list. Malicious mischief means the willful destruction of property; examples include vandalism and graffiti.
The Council also increased the minimum sentence to 45 days for those convicted four or more times within five years as a further deterrent to repeatedly breaking these laws in Marysville. A mandatory minimum sentence of 30 days remains in effect for a third such conviction within five years.
“Public disorder crimes are a blight on our neighborhoods. Holding repeat offenders accountable improves public safety and our quality of life,” said Michael Stevens, City Council President. “At the same time, jail is not an effective long-term answer. Offering a positive alternative to jail allows people to turn their lives around, and we’re seeing the results in Marysville.”
Under the Marysville law, a defendant who receives a mandatory minimum sentence for public disorder crimes may petition Marysville Municipal Court to enter treatment instead.
“In many cases, repeat offenders suffer from addiction issues that drive their illegal behaviors. For those who are willing, Marysville’s embedded social work team helps them navigate available treatment and other social service programs,” Mayor Jon Nehring said.
Between late 2023 and August 2024, 35 defendants were found guilty of a total of 49 public disorder crimes for a third time or more. Eighteen of those people, or just over half, chose to participate in treatment programs. The same time period saw a 17% decrease in the number of people who refused services and a 4% decrease in those who left treatment before completing a program.
“Our work here shows that jail can be used as the start of a therapeutic process to help people change the trajectory of their lives,” said Police Chief Erik Scairpon. “We will continue to study recidivism and success rates with an eye on improving our program outcomes.”