Seattle lawmakers last year made a late push to expand the city's ability to crack down on misdemeanor crime and disorder in commercial areas — setting up six "stay out" zones for those arrested on drug-related offenses and expanding the number of jail beds available for Seattle-based bookings.

But three months later, those efforts have gone largely unused. As the average number of people held on misdemeanor charges in the jail has crept up only slightly, the "stay out" law has been invoked by a judge just once since it took effect in October.