PSJ WORKS TO INCREASE FUNDING FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIMS
The Partnership for Safety and Justice - through our Crime Survivors [0] for Community Safety (CSCS) program – continues to push for increased funding for survivors of domestic and sexual violence by participating in Domestic and Sexual Violence Awareness Day last Thursday, March 15.
The problem: Approximately 18 people are killed through domestic violence every year in Oregon and 1 in 6 women are raped. There are programs in every county in the state that provide life-saving community based support for survivors. Last year over 8000 women, many with children could not access safe shelter because of a lack of resources. Since 2001, through the Oregon Domestic and Sexual Violence Services fund (ODSVS), only $2.5 million dollars from the general fund have been allocated to support these programs. An additional $5 million is need to ensure adequate services are available throughout the state
The goal: increase funding for programs designed to help these crime survivors by $5 million, all of the money will go to community based non-profit programs dedicated to saving peoples lives and creating prevention programs for generations to come.
CSCS program director Terrie Quinteros led the PSJ effort at this day of awareness. She was featured in an Oregon News Service story about the lobby day.
The co-chairs of the Ways and Means committee have suggested a $2 million increase, but the ODSVS fund still needs the additional $3 million to ensure basic services are available.
FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL URGES FUNDING SHIFT TO HIGHER EDUCATION
Efforts to reform the prison system got a huge boost from former Attorney General and current University of Oregon President Dave Frohnmayer. Mr. Frohnmayer, testifying before the Public Safety Subcommittee, told lawmakers that Oregon has suffered through a declining period of investment in higher education that coincides with our massive prison expansion.
"I would argue that prisons are an expenditure, but higher education is an investment," said Frohnmayer, the President of the University of Oregon since 1994, who was state attorney general from 1981 to 1992.
Frohnmayer said state support of the University of Oregon amounted to 32% of its budget in 1991, but only 14% now. That translates into $60 million in state support, he said, but that $60 million investment has a positive economic effect of returning $1.2 billion on the state.
Frohnmayer said state support per in-state student at the University of Oregon was $4,497 in 2006, compared with $6,492 per public-school student in 2005 -- and $24,648 per prison inmate in 2005. You can read more about Mr. Frohnmayer’s testimony here. [1]
SENATOR WALKER INTRODUCES A BILL THAT WOULD BAN EMPLOYMENT AND HOUSING DISCRIMINATION BASED ON ARREST RECORD
Partnership for Safety and Justice provided testimony on SB 628, a bill by Senator Vicki Walker (D-Eugene) which would prohibit employment discrimination against someone simply because they had an arrest record. The bill seeks to address the now common practice of asking people if they have ever been arrested.
With over 160,000 arrests in Oregon last year, many people are never charged or convicted of a crime and should not be barred from employment simply because they were arrested.
Sen. Walker told the Senate Commerce Committee she came up with the idea for the bill after reading PSJ’s publication Access Denied in Oregon [2] which she received when attending the Eugene Community Conversation we sponsored. [3]
Also testifying at last week’s hearing was Clariner Boston, executive director of Better People. After the hearing, Senator Walker said she plans to amend the bill to include non-discrimination in housing. She expects the bill to move from committee shortly.