Sentencing Reform

Gov. John Kitzhaber, legislative leaders to launch effort to reform Oregon public safety system

February 7, 2012
State leaders hope reforms to Oregon's public safety system could spare the state from building new prisons to house 2,000 inmates. Gov. Kitzhaber and legislative leaders are about to try to cage state prison spending, an 800-pound public policy gorilla threatening to stomp through the state budget.

Some "Smart on Crime" Reforms that are Working

December 7, 2011
Necessitated by harsh economic times and encouraged by declines in crime rates, a number of states have made significant strides in reducing the number of people in prisons and jails and cutting spending while maintaining public safety.

Article by Denise Welch

A year to look at sentencing

December 3, 2011
Saying that crime is down, money is scarce and corrections policies have evolved, the Oregonian calls for the Governor's Public Safety Commission to spend 2012 crafting a new sentencing plan for Oregon.

 

by The Oregonian Editorial Board

Good News / Success Stories (JM-Winter 2011)

December 2, 2011
In this issue we report on success - the success of individuals, organizations and governments who have implemented reforms and changes that are smart on crime.

In this issue:

Long mandatory sentences not the only way to deal with crime

November 18, 2011
The Klamath Falls Herald and News Editorial Board says that "Oregon needs to find alternatives (to mandatory minimum sentences) that produce public safety at a reasonable cost" and "Are more prisons and longer sentences the only answer? We hope not." We couldn't agree more.

Falling Crime, Teeming Prisons

October 30, 2011
Senators should support a bipartisan commission to review the nation’s troubled criminal justice system and offer recommendations for reform. Reducing sentences for nonviolent offenses and ending mandatory minimum sentences could help end the devastating cycle of incarceration.

 

A new approach to fighting crime

October 22, 2011
The Medford Mail Tribune editorial board says Oregon should pay attention to Texas and spend more on substance abuse and mental health treatment, beef up parole and probation supervision and spend less on prisons — a lot less.

'We have to get smart on crime'

October 20, 2011
Paul DeMuniz, Oregon's Supreme Court Chief Justice and Chair of the Governor's Commission on Public Safety, says that Oregon has "to get away from the idea of soft on crime, tough on crime...We have to get smart on crime." (Mail Tribune)

Head Off the Prison Boom

October 14, 2011
There must be a better way! The Governor's Commission on Public Safety learned that over the next decade Oregon's prison population is anticipated to balloon by 2,000 additional inmates. Avoiding yet another prison boom ought to be the explicit goal of the Commission.

 

 

Kitzhaber criticizes 'expensive' sentencing laws

October 1, 2011
At the first meeting of the Public Safety Commission, Gov. John Kitzhaber said Oregon leaders need to have "the wisdom and the courage" to look at changing prison practices, including reducing time behind bars for some crimes. (KATU)

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