You've probably seen the headlines....
Multnomah County is fumbling its way to create their own "deflection" program so they will comply with Oregon's House Bill 4002, which reformed Measure 110. We supported efforts to reform Measure 110 and, when the Legislature included a new concept of "deflection" we supported that as well. The new law clearly states the purpose and intent of the deflection program: "to provide pre-arrest diversion for individuals who commit certain offenses, reducing the burden on the criminal justice system while addressing the underlying causes of criminal behavior."
We remain concerned that the program lacks real accountability and risks becoming a revolving door rather than a meaningful intervention.
Revitalize Portland, on behalf of our members, have a direct interest in turning around our region’s mental health and drug addiction crisis. For the past two years, our Crime and Public Safety Committee has researched and presented proposals to address the problem without increasing criminalization. We even came up with a plan of our own - a "Civil Compromise" proposal - which would allow low-level, nonviolent offenders to do community service to make amends for their actions.
In that spirit, we have repeatedly volunteered our help to Multnomah County officials but our requests went unanswered or have been delayed. No one responded to our requests and as such, the development of the Deflection Program has suffered. We summarized our concerns in the letter to the Multnomah County Commission shared below.
Instead, the County has formed an insider steering committee, which doesn't meet in public, who are, apparently, making all of the decisions related to this program. This approach undermines the collaborative spirit intended by the legislation. By not leveraging the expertise of existing programs nor the private sector, Multnomah County is missing a significant opportunity to create a robust, comprehensive Deflection Program.
By incorporating feedback from both public and private sectors, we can build a program that truly addresses the needs of our community and provides a sustainable alternative to traditional criminal justice responses.
Let the Multnomah County Commission know how you feel about this issue. Visit our Take Action Page TODAY!
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