Tools to Promote Safer Communities

More than 4,000 people leave Oregon state prisons each year, and many more are released from county jails.

Will counties build the infrastructure needed to put this funding to work? Or will counties miss an opportunity to create the vibrant communities we all want to live in?

So how do we make our public safety system better at reducing re-offense? How do we break the cycle of crime and re-incarceration?

For decades, our country has battled over the “tough on crime” rhetoric that has come at a price tag of one trillion dollars and countless human lives.

Measure 11, the state’s mandatory sentencing law, has Oregon’s sentencing structure stuck with one flavor, leaving many crime victims without an option in the justice system that suits their tastes and needs.

The fact that reforms to Measure 11 regarding youths were even included in the original recommendations by the Governor’s Commission on Public Safety is a large step in the right direction. But we are not there yet.

The media has devoted significant attention to the district attorneys’ (D.A.s) opposition to reform efforts but done a poor job scrutinizing the D.A.s’ claims or questioning the underlying reasons for their aggressive opposition.

While other states reduce incarceration and crime, Oregon is on track to spend $600M on new prison space

There is a serious irony to this dynamic.

The policy changes that reduce prison expansion are critical, but without investing in our local public safety infrastructure, we will not actually be strengthening Oregon’s approach to crime and accountability in sustainable ways.

The landscape around criminal justice and public safety issues is changing. We all want to live in safe communities. The question becomes, how do we best address crime and maintain safety.