SB 819 is proposing prisoners serving time be allowed to go back to court and ask for a sentence reduction. This is another way to break Measure 11 sentencing.

This bill is designed to allow Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt -- known for his "catch-and-release" policies --, and one or two other District Attorneys of like mind, to get together with criminal defense attorneys and petition the county circuit courts to set aside Measure 11 convictions and sentences so as to allow lesser crimes of convictions and sentences -- with no mandatory minimum prison sentence -- to replace the original conviction.

Is this a solution to the Oregon's high prison population? During this time of a slowdown asked for by our head Supreme Court Justice led to 209,122 fewer criminal cases were filed in court statewide, from 2019 to 2020. More than a third lower. It adds cost at the county level by pushing even more cases on the court now -- which even at reduced numbers is 3% slower processing cases through the system. Sadly, it doesn’t equate to less crime -- but to more tickets. There are many crimes that cannot be given a ticket or violation resulted in jail because of COVID rules. We have more crime and less punishment. Less chance for those damaged to collect damages. More repeats.

At the heart of the issue is recidivism. How often do they repeat their crime? This is biggest impact on society. Looking at Oregon statistics showed that 41% committed a new crime within 3 years for a misdemeanor. Rate for felonies is higher, 55% committing new crimes within 3 years.

Thomas Paine, a founding father who wrote about effective government said: When a man has so far corrupted and prostituted the chastity of his mind as to subscribe his professional belief to things he doesn’t believe, he has prepared himself for the commission of every other crime.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Carolyn Leaf, PhD, brain expert and writer of Who Shut Off My Brain, exposes the real issue. Are we effectively changing the strongholds in the minds of those with a pattern of crime? The mind develops our response to any given situation by our past reaction. If we allow a certain response and act on it, it becomes a tree built in our mind. The next time the same situation comes up we do the same thing prompted by our mind.

Here’s some bright spots liberals ought to notice: Private rehab organizations have recidivism rates as low as 7%. Bridges for Change, SE Works, PEP, Prison Entrepreneurship, Delancey Street Foundation, Safer Foundation, and The Last Mile, are all examples. These programs show we do know what does work. Why are we ignoring this?


--Liz Turner

Post Date: 2021-05-28 09:46:41

Last Update: 2021-05-30 10:22:52