OREGON ANTI-CRIME ALLIANCE MOVES FORWARD ON FOUR POLICY PROJECTS

The Oregon Anti-Crime Alliance is uniquely positioned to move a public safety agenda forward and help make Oregon one of the five safest states in the nation. The OAA Board of Directors is composed of two former, experienced legislators, who understand how to change the law, as well as a retired sheriff’s department sergeant, who has extensive “on the ground” experience.  The professional staff of the OAA includes Tara Lawrence, a former District Attorney as the Executive Director.  The Senior Policy Advisor is a retired District Attorney, Doug Harcleroad, who served for 24 years in Lane County. 

OAA is currently working on projects in four issue areas: Intoxicated Driving, Domestic Violence, Human Trafficking, and Prisoner Reentry. Progress in each of these areas will help improve public safety in Oregon.

Intoxicated Driving

Gretchen A. McKenzie, legislative analyst for the Governor’s Advisory Committee on DUII, reports that 233 traffic fatalities in 2008 were alcohol or drug related.  This is a whopping 56% of our 416 total traffic fatalities, and it doesn’t even count the thousands of individuals injured in impaired-driving crashes.  Below is the three-year chart prepared by Ms. McKenzie.

 2008                                       2007                                       2006   

120 Alcohol only             154 Alcohol only                      149 Alcohol only       

62 Other drugs               42 Other drugs                        33 Other drugs

51 Combination              25 Combination                       21 Combination         

233 Total                       221 Total                                 203 Total

2008: 416 total fatalities – 233 DUII = 183 not DUII related                      

(56% DUII related)

There are two disturbing trends in the chart above.  First, there is a 14.8% increase in the number of impaired-driver fatalities from 2006 to 2008 (203 increases to 233).  Secondly, there is an 87.9% increase in the number of drug-impaired traffic fatalities (33 increases to 62).

OAA is working to improve Oregon’s laws on DUII:

1. The OAA, in combination with MADD, Crime Victims United, and law enforcement, secured passage of nine new laws in the 2009 legislative session to help combat DUII.  For example, the minimum fine for DUII with a blood alcohol of .15 or greater is now $2000 rather than $1000.
2. Initiative Petition 13, sponsored by the OAA, and if passed by the voters, will make the third conviction for DUII a felony in Oregon.  Research shows that swift and sure significant sanctions deter intoxicated driving.
3. OAA is beginning the process, with State Senator Monroe, to make sobriety checkpoints possible in Oregon.  Research shows that these checkpoints are effective at reducing alcohol-impaired driving fatalities at a reasonable cost.
4. Ignition interlock systemsneed to be made mandatory for convicted or diverted intoxicated drivers.  Then they can’t start their cars if they have been drinking.

 Domestic Violence Project

According to a 2005 study, the costs of domestic and sexual violence injuries in Oregon exceed $50 million a year. Nearly $35 million of these costs are for direct medical and mental health care services. Approximately $9.3 million of these costs are from victims’ lost productivity from paid work, and $10.7 million of these costs are lifetime earnings lost by victims who are killed.[i]

In 2008, Oregon experienced a 36% increase in the number of requests for shelter that could not be accommodated.  These figures may include duplication if survivors called more than one shelter. However, the increase in calls for help that cannot be met due to lack of resources remains significant.

To address Domestic Violence, OAA plans to:

• Work with various agencies to create or support current policies and procedures that support a coordinated and team-based system of services focused on prevention through education.
• Connect victims of domestic violence and their families with existing services and support.
• Create effective partnerships with community leaders, law enforcement, and social service providers to develop comprehensive programs and services.
• Utilize OAA’s unique network of connections to develop comprehensive reform proposals. This network includes sheriffs, district attorneys, chiefs of police, police officer associations, and victim advocacy groups. 

Human Trafficking Project

Human trafficking is a modern and pernicious practice of slavery. Trafficking occurs when a person is forced into involuntary servitude. Common forms of trafficking include commercial sex trafficking, labor trafficking, and organ trafficking.[ii]

The results of the FBI’s Operation Cross Country III, a nationwide anti-trafficking sting, indicate that the Portland metro area is the second worst hot spot in the nation for commercial sex trafficking. Keith Bickford reports that in Portland alone, he encounters 3-5 child victims of commercial trafficking each week – easily over 200 victims a year. Doug Moawad, a Multnomah County prosecutor who handles trafficking cases, estimates that between 16 and 32 cases of child sex trafficking come through his office each year.[iii]

Oregon’s location on the I-5 corridor, as a central location to Seattle, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas, makes it attractive to human traffickers.

The OAA is actively engaged in efforts to reduce instances of human trafficking in Oregon:

• OAA was asked to partner with the State of Oregon to launch Oregon’s first statewide trafficking awareness campaign. “The Sticker Campaign” provided stickers, featuring the national trafficking hotline, to Oregon businesses. OAA’s logo is featured on the sticker in recognition of OAA’s important support of the campaign.
• OAA is a member of the Human Trafficking Legislative Planning Group and provides most of the legal research and policy support for this working group. The group is considering several options based on OAA’s input.
• OAA was recently called upon by a state legislator’s office to help formulate a response to trafficking in Oregon that appropriately penalizes “Johns” and gives law enforcement the ability to help victims receive the treatment they need.
• This year, OAA’s legal team received specialized training to help them protect the rights of trafficking victims.
• OAA helped sponsor the international training of a young Oregon law student and trafficking victim advocate.

Reentry Project

The Oregon Department of Corrections statistics tell us that about 30% of released offenders will be convicted of a new felony within three years of release.  If we add the new misdemeanor convictions such as assault, menacing, theft etc., the recidivism rate will easily exceed 50% over the three-year period. On June 1, 2010, Oregon had 14,005 people in prison.  4,032 of these individuals will be released within a year.  The more populated counties have more returnees going to their jurisdictions.  For example, approximately 400-500 released offenders will return to Marion County.  In addition, thousands of individuals will be released from local jails.  Once these individuals commit new crimes, the public safety cycle of arrest, prosecution, and sentencing begins again.  There are new crime victims, and the costs of the public safety system are increased.

Providing appropriate support and treatment for offenders about to reenter society can help reduce recidivism rates. In late 2009, the Oregon Anti-Crime Alliance contracted with Allain Enterprises Inc. to provide an overview and analysis of reentry in Oregon.  The report is extensive and says we are now at the front end of the reentry effort.  The report recommends:

• All of the following need to be fully engaged in the reentry effort in order to achieve success:  Corrections systems, law enforcement systems, judicial systems, victim advocate systems, education systems, health care systems, substance abuse and treatment systems, mental health systems, employment and workforce development systems, housing systems, children and family systems, and law makers.  Leadership in all systems needs to understand and commit to aligning systems to work together in addressing the issues of reentry.
• Create a messaging campaign that addresses the issues without generating fear and hate.  Emotions run high on this topic, and messaging should be respectful to all involved.
• Resources need to be addressed; funding a well-managed reentry effort is a wise investment. (Possibly use Marion County as a pilot.)