Criminal Justice

An effective justice system must be restorative and therapeutic in nature rather than retributive.  It must seek to rehabilitate those who come into contact with the criminal justice system, place crime within a community context, and offer alternatives to incarceration of all while holding public safety paramount.   Detention centers should be the last resort rather than the norm.

Community-based strategies allow those in custody who do not represent a threat to community safety to stay with their families and provide greater access to supportive interventions.  This strategy facilitates greater collaboration between state, city and county agencies and community-based programs with social service and restorative justice expertise. 

Reforms to the justice system serve the goals of restorative justice practices by bringing healing to youth, families, and neighborhoods impacted by youth crime and offer a more humane alternative for restoring safety to communities.  The comprehensive reform of the  justice system is critical and merits swift and decisive action to prevent losing another generation of Oregon’s youth to a broken system.