The Pierce County Charter Review Commission is advancing Proposal C-18 (with an alternative version labeled C-19) to create a new Charter section requiring independent oversight of any juvenile detention facility operated by or for the County. The amendment would establish an independent Juvenile Detention Advocate Office, mandate annual public reporting on detention operations and performance, and require independent audits or accreditation reviews at least every five years.The rationale cites nearly 150 abuse claims and potential liabilities in the hundreds of millions of dollars, underscoring a need for stronger monitoring, data, and compliance structures. If voters approve the charter change, Pierce County courts, juvenile detention administration, and the new oversight office will likely need external support for designing oversight processes, setting KPIs, data integration and reporting, accreditation preparation, and potentially technology platforms for complaints, investigations, and transparency dashboards.

Two versions are described: original C-18 and a replacement amendment (C-19) that locates the office within juvenile detention and changes appointing authority to Superior Court; both require public annual reports and third-party audits/accreditation.