Corrections Grand Jury Reports
Per Oregon Revised Statutes {ORS) 132.440 "once yearly a Grand Jury shall inquire into the condition and management of every correctional facility and youth correctional facility... in the county". The seven-member Grand Jury, comprised of county citizens of varying backgrounds and experiences, was tasked with reviewing the operations, conditions, and management of correctional facilities in Clackamas County.
Minority Drug Convictions
The Oregon Criminal Justice Commission has conducted a study that has examined whether or not there are racial disparities in the prosecution of Possession of Controlled Substance cases in Oregon. Although they have not published their study at this point, it is posted on their website.
When the Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office was verbally notified of this study by CJC we requested that the executive director, Michael Schmidt present his findings to the leadership of our office. We wanted to be informed of their findings to better educate ourselves on the issue. The presentation was in the form of a power point without any written handouts. The leadership team in our office (senior deputies and managers) were very concerned by the data presented. Our office has remained vigilant to fight discrimination and racism as a crucial part of our obligation to pursue justice in our cases. So these findings were very disturbing to our team. No explanation was offered by the CJC for these results.
It is vitally important to understand that all criminal cases prosecuted by this office are first investigated by the police agencies. The District Attorney’s Office does not initiate cases. They are brought to the office by law enforcement agencies. However, to better understand this data, our office requested a list of the criminal cases that were contained in the data presented by the CJC. The list included 53 cases in 2015 that involved defendants of color: black, Hispanic, Asian or Native American. We ordered the police reports for each case and then examined the facts of each case. We also looked at any patterns, such as what or who first initiated the investigation (police, private citizen, etc.). After we collected all the information, we organized it in a 10 page report that is attached to this message. We encourage anyone who is interested to examine this information.
Finally, one of the challenges in interpreting this data is the small case sample. In a county of almost 400,000, there were 21 African Americans and 31 Hispanics listed. If there had been 10 less of each group there would have been much less disparity in the report. When the numbers are that small in the sample, it inherently makes the results unstable and unscientific.
The Clackamas County District Attorney’s office will remain vigilant in its efforts to stand against racism and discrimination. In our criminal justice system there is simply no place for acts of injustice
Juvenile Justice System
Juvenile Measure 11 Reports Oregon District Attorneys Association, Inc.
- Introduction to PSU Report
By: Charles French and John S. Foote - Correlational Analysis of Oregon Juvenile Justice Data
The Center for Public Service, Portland State University - Response to Review and Critique of Juvenile Justice in Oregon - Part 2
By: Charles French and John S. Foote - Response to Review and Critique of Juvenile Justice in Oregon
By: Charles French and John S. Foote - Multnomah County strikes back at controversial juvenile justice report
Oregon Live by Maxine Bernstein - Review and Critique of: Juvenile Justice in Oregon
By: Melissa Sickmund, Ph.D. - Response to JJIE OP-ED by Dick Mendel
By: Charles French and John S. Foote - OP-ED: Glaring Flaws and Brazen Biases Riddle Oregon JJ Study
Juvenile Justice Information Exchange by Dick Mendel - KATU Report: Oregon faces one of the worst juvenile crime problems in the nation
KATU.com Investigators - Announcement of Formation of Juvenile Justice Task Force
- Multnomah County judge creates task force to review recent report that found Oregon's juvenile justice system weak
Oregon Live by Maxine Bernstein - OP-ED: For Real Juvenile Justice Reform We Must Look at the Data Objectively
Juvenile Justice Information Exchange by John Lash - Report says Oregon's touted model for juvenile justice isn't working
Oregon Live by Maxine Bernstein - Juvenile Justice in Oregon
A report by District Attorney John S. Foote and Deputy District Attorney Retired Chuck French - Oregon Juvenile Justice Policy
A report by Chuck French - Spare the Jail, Spoil the Child?
Willamette Week by Nigel Jaquiss - Measure 11 disproportionately pushes black youths into adult criminal system - Oregonian Article
- Response to Oregonian article on Ballot Measure 11
Oregon District Attorneys Association (ODAA)
Bold new measure to protect public safety and reduce the costs of the prison system
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The Oregon Criminal Justice System in 2016: A Continuing Success Story (ODAA) 1/2018
- ODAA Proposal Fact Sheet 5/21/2013
- Reduce drug sentences to save money on prisons, Oregon Prosecutors urge - Oregonian Article 5/21/2013
- 10-year inmate population forecast 1/1/2013
- Property crimes going the wrong direction 2009
- Property crime rates in U.S. cities
Concern about the Pew Foundation in Oregon
- Letter to Representative Chris Garret - Pew lack of neutrality 5/9/2013
- Data response to ODAA letter of April, 5th (PEW) 4/24/2013
- ODAA to Joint Public Safety Committee - Observations about the Work of Pew in Oregon 4/4/2013
- PEW's Continued use of "low risk" in its Presentations 10/1/2012
- Clackamas DA raises legitimate concerns about the state panel's 'low risk' offenders (PEW) 9/10/2012
- ODAA Response to the PEW and Oregon Criminal Justice Commission's List of 2011 'Low Risk' Offenders Admitted to Prison (PEW) 8/22/2012
- The Hard Truth About Oregon's Prisons: They Work (PEW) 3/13/2013
- Letter to Joint Public Safety Committee - Prison Forecasting and Prison Costs 3/6/2013
- Alternative Report and Recommendations in the Governor's 2012 Commission on Public Safety (PEW) 12/2012
- Public safety and sentencing reform: Why overhaul a justice system that's working? 12/14/2012
- Percentage Increase in Revenue vs. Percentage Increase in Prison Population 2012
- Memo Regarding ODAA Proposal to Fund Evidence-Based Practices and Re-Entry Programs (PEW) 12/5/2012
- Oregon is smart on crime, but needs to be smart on costs (PEW) 11/29/2012
- Response to Proposals from Public Safety Corrections Group 11/15/2012
- Sentencing Policy Options to Public Safety Commissioners (PEW) 11/1/2012
- Prison Forecasting (PEW) - Policy Proposals to Public Safety Commissioners 10/10/2012
- Response Letter to the Honorable Justice Paul J. De Muniz (PEW) 9/21/2012
