A home for predators? The secrets of McNeil Island, Washington

Editor's Note: This article has been updated to include recent data and criticism from the Seattle Times.

West of Tacoma within the Puget Sound, one island sits relatively abandoned - or at least, it might seem from the outside. Visiting the island is prohibited without special permission, although some urban explorers sometimes seek out an adventure under the cover of darkness. This is McNeil Island, a place with a long history as Washington State's home for "undesirables," convicted criminals who needed to be separated from society.

The early years of McNeil Island

In 1853, Ezra Meeker - before his fame at growing hops or becoming the first mayor of Puyallup - settled a homestead on McNeil Island. The island had previously been named after Hudson Bay Company captain William Henry McNeill, although it had been used by the Steilacoom people long before settlers arrived. The island had plentiful resources, but travel to nearby Steilacoom was relatively far and made the homestead isolating. Meeker eventually left the island behind for the mainland.

Almost 20 years later, in 1870, the U.S. government "purchased" 27 acres of land (other records indicate this land was donated) on the island along its east coat. Building began soon after, and McNeil Island Penitentiary was officially open for service in 1875. Over the years, the federal government continued to add land to the prison, increasing its size from a meager 27 acres to over 2,300 acres by 1940. In its time as a federal prison, it housed Robert “Birdman of Alcatraz” Stroud and Charles Manson.

In 1976, the U.S. government declared the facility obsolete and began to evacuate it. Washington State, however, needed more prison space and began to lease it in 1981. The prison continued to operate as a state facility under the name McNeil Island Corrections Center (MICC) until it officially closed in 2011. However, one segment of the island that began operations in 1998 - the Special Commitment Center - remains open to this day, deep at the island's heart.

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Where do sex offenders go when their prison time is over?

The Special Commitment Center is a special facility that is not a prison, despite its requirement for total confinement on McNeil Island. Instead, it's a place where level III sex offenders are sent by the court to be "civilly committed" after their prison term is finished. These sex offenders then begin their life as a resident of the Special Commitment Center to receive extensive treatment.

As described by the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services:

Treatment helps residents develop skills needed to cope more appropriately, while at the same time helping them to build protective factors such as healthy relationships, job skills, and hobbies. The development of these skills and protective factors increases residents’ sense of self, competence, and motivation to continue to transform their lives in positive ways.

The goal of the SCC is to help sex offenders overcome the psychological challenges that have led individuals to become abusive and harmful so that they can eventually reintegrate into society safely. This remains controversial among the public, although compassion and understanding are growing.

Is McNeil Island just a home for sexual predators then?

Yes, and no: it depends on how you look at the people living in the care of McNeil's Special Commitment Center.

Yes, the committed residents there are convicted sex offenders who have a high likelihood of reoffending. By their very crimes - which are not excused by the rehabilitation system - they are considered sexual predators.

But no, McNeil Island isn't just a comfortable resort for sex offenders paid for by tax dollars. Doctors, scientists, and the state view these people as humans deserving of help, despite the complex nature of their place in society.

An article from Time Magazine delves deep into the therapy and processes that these sex offenders undergo while in treatment, while also considering the impact it has on victims. Ultimately it lands on the complexity of understanding and treating sexual abuse and its victims in our society - a problem we only acknowledged decades ago and are still studying to this day.

In the meantime,  some of the most troubled minds of Washington remain hidden out of sight at the heart of McNeil Island, where we can choose to forget about them and trust they will harm no one else.

Recent criticism from the Seattle Times

In August 2024, the Seattle Times released a special investigative report about "quiet" releases from McNeil Island.

The Seattle Times claims the following:

• One in four people released have gone on to be arrested for new crimes.
• One in seven reoffended in a serious manner.
• More than half of those who reoffended were for crimes McNeil is meant to help prevent, "including assault, rape, possessing child sexual abuse materials, attempting to solicit a minor for sex and sexual abuse of a child."

Releases have accelerated over the years, with 2023 seeing 68 people released. The Seattle Times notes:

Releases became more common in part because new research found Washington and other states had been inflating the degree of dangerousness of people who commit repeated sexual offenses, particularly after age 60.

As a result, forensic evaluators in Washington determined that some people previously considered high risk were less likely to commit new crimes and thus were eligible for release.

At the heart of the issue seems to be a general lack of oversight, monitoring, or follow up with residents once they leave McNeil. DSHS remains a strong believer in the system, which has still had a positive effect on three quarters on those who have been released. But for the quarter of those who have reoffended, a great question remains: has all this been worth the cost and risk?