Letter to the Editor: Measure 57 Delay

April 13, 2010

Joshua Marquis' guest column, "Shelving of Measure 57 was another shell game" (April 4), is a classic case of not being able to see the forest for the trees. Why does he think we need longer sentences for nonviolent crimes? From his column, you would think it was to lower property crime, but property crime in Oregon has been declining since the 1990s.

A recent report from the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission found that the last time property crime rates were this low was 1966. Voters chose Measure 57 over Measure 61 because it provided desperately needed treatment dollars. Legislators upheld that promise to voters during Oregon's economic crisis by phasing in the implementation of longer sentences and providing a portion of the promised treatment dollars.

Thankfully, Oregon voters and the Legislature are willing to be thoughtful in addressing crime and addiction instead of wasting precious dollars on unnecessary prison beds when crime is at an all-time low.

SHANNON WIGHT
Northeast Portland 
Wight is associate director of the Partnership for Safety and Justice.