Problem

Problematic Behavior Or Activity

Prior to House Bill 3194 efforts, Multnomah County was sentencing 55% of its would-be MCJRP-eligible population to the Department of Corrections. The County had not yet identified a way to use offender risk and need information pre-trial.

Impact On The Community

Not using a pre-adjudication risk/needs assessment to identify who could be supervised in the community helped Multnomah County contribute to the population of Oregon’s strained prison system.

Solution

Program Description

As the state’s most populous county, Multnomah is positioned to have the greatest impact on prison utilization, recidivism, public safety, and holding offenders accountable. The infusion of justice reinvestment resources led to the development of effective community supervision for high risk/need offenders, rather than sending them to DOC.

Multnomah County’s MCJRP program is using funds to increase its capacity to do the following:

• Target eligible high or very high risk/need offenders.
• Perform risk/need assessments to determine how individuals can be managed safely in the community.
• Produce a comprehensive risk/needs report, used by the defense, prosecution, and court, designed to inform the sentencing process.
• Provide 120 days of intensive supervision to many of those assigned to MCJRP.
• Fund a myriad of treatment services designed around the specific needs of the individual.
• This program will use these funds to establish a treatment readiness dorm within Multnomah County’s Inverness Jail.

Based On Research

• Level of Service Case Management Inventory (LS/CMI)
• Effective Practices for Correctional Supervision (EPICS)
• Putting Justice Reinvestment into Action
• What Works: The Public Safety Culture Shift

Funding

• This program funds numerous personnel and contractors with its $7,058,327 budget.

  • 4 FTE Parole/Probation Officers
  • 1.3 FTE Escort deputies
  • 1.0 FTE Enforcement Deputy
  • 1.0 FTE Program Coordinator
  • 1.0 FTE Project Manager
  • 1.0 FTE Supervisor
  • 1.0 FTE Program Administrator
  • .50 FTE Legal Assistant

• Contractual Services

  • Substance Use Disorder treatment
  • Housing and Mentorship
  • Mental Health Evaluation
  • Employment Services
  • Parent Education
  • Circuit Court
  • Public Defender
  • Law Enforcement Services
  • Treatment-Readiness In-custody

Outcome

Program Impact

Prior to implementation in 2013, 55% of would-be MCJRP-eligible cases received prison sentences. Under MCJRP, 25% of eligible cases are sentenced to prison.

Critical Success Factors

• Collaboration
• Ongoing, consistent meetings with key players
• Decision-making agreement