2018 Safety and Justice background and history

TIMELINE:

January – Board of Commissioners approved a $171,000 consulting contract for an in-depth assessment of the County’s Safety and Justice operations. CGL received $158,843 for conducting the assessment while an additional $12,000 went to GOBHI for project management services.
January – A comprehensive assessment was presented to the Board of Commissioners. Key findings of the assessment are highlighted below. Please note: data references are from 2017.

Key findings of the 2018 Assessment

An effective plan to improve the performance of the Benton County justice system would need a comprehensive approach that addresses program needs and opportunities for improvement in enforcement, justice, and accountability. The pathway toward achievement of justice system improvements should have a plan that coordinates program strategies among social service agencies, law enforcement, custody, the courts, and community corrections.

Demographics and mental health services

The development of in-custody programs for substance abuse treatment, mental health treatment, cognitive behavioral therapy, and education would provide needed opportunities for rehabilitation in jail.

The jail population is predominantly male (85 percent), white (79 percent), relatively young (average age 31), with a majority in pre-trial status (68 percent). The jail does not assess offender program needs and provides minimal program opportunities.

The jail population appears to have a significant number of adults in custody with mental health treatment needs.

Reported crime in Benton County has increased by 28 percent over the last five years. Although violent crimes against persons make up a relatively small proportion of crime, this represents the fastest growing category of offenses. Arrests have declined over the same period. The majority of arrests are for behavioral crimes such as drug use, DUII, or disorderly conduct.

Benton County Probation and Parole supports a wide range of community programs that supervise and provide services for released offenders. The programs are based on evidence-based research and are consistent with best practices and professional standards found in community corrections programs throughout the U.S.

Facilities condition

The physical condition and layout of the current jail facility is extremely poor. The Benton County Courthouse has serious physical and operational deficiencies. The facility needs to be replaced as soon as possible. The current law enforcement center has numerous building issues that impair law enforcement operations.

Data systems

The Benton County justice system needs improved data collection and outcome evaluation to support policymaking and resource allocation decisions.

Crime rate and need for jail capacity is increasing

Benton County has a higher reported crime rate than its peer comparison group counties, as well as the largest gap between crime rates and arrest rates. Benton County books over 3,000 offenders annually into a jail facility with a capacity of 40 beds. The County relies on contracting for beds at NORCOR, Polk, and Linn Counties to supplement its own jail capacity and spends just over $1 million annually on out of county beds. The average daily jail population (ADP) for the County has been stable, ranging between 60 and 67 adults in custody over the past five years. Slightly more than half of these offenders are housed outside the County.

Assuming current policies remain in place, the County jail population will grow to an ADP of 92 adults in custody by 2040. This population level would require a jail capacity of approximately 120 beds to accommodate population fluctuations, adults in custody management issues, and the elimination of Benton County’s frequent use of matrix and forced release.

Citation and release lessens accountability

Jail staff relies on early release mechanisms to manage the size of the jail population. In 2017, 531 adults in custody were released from jail early through these programs. It is not uncommon for offenders to receive multiple early releases from jail after they have been re-incarcerated for a new offense.

Benton County law enforcement agencies make extensive use of citation and release due to lack of capacity at the Benton County Jail.
The use of citation and release should be reduced to approximately 15 percent of arrests to ensure an appropriate public safety response to crimes in the community.
The Benton County Jail needs to eliminate reliance on forced release to manage jail population levels.

Benton County courts require the ability to effectively sanction persons who fail to appear at court-ordered hearings. However, without capacity, jail-time sanctions are very limited. The result is Benton County’s failure to appear rate is 2-to 3-times national norms.

2018 News

Criminal Justice Assessment enters final phase; County hosts draft report community meeting – Oct. 11, 2018

Benton County’s yearlong criminal justice system assessment entered the final phase in August. The final phase focuses on developing and finalizing the assessment report. Based on the data collected over the three earlier phases, CGL, consulting project director, and Greater Oregon Behavioral Health, Inc. (GOBHI), consulting project manager, will present a draft assessment report on Tuesday, October 23, 2018 from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at the Courtyard by Marriott Corvallis, 400 SW 1st Street, Corvallis, OR 97333.

The draft report includes three scenarios with varied components for an effective, efficient and equitable criminal justice system that maintains public safety and accountability, while providing treatment opportunities that address underlying causes of criminal behavior.

These scenarios will be presented at the community meeting to gain input from members of the public before the assessment report is finalized.

The doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the program begins at 6:00 p.m. Parking is available in the on-site garage. Community members will have an opportunity to meet and network with Commissioners, Steering Committee members and the consultants directing and managing the assessment before the program begins.

The primary purpose of the criminal justice system assessment is to:

engage our communities & develop a common vision for the criminal justice system,
investigate all aspects of the system to provide a full assessment,
identify improvements to the system to better serve the public and inmates.

The assessment occurred over four phases during 2018, with multiple opportunities to engage with the public. Presentation materials and video from previous community meetings and workshops are available online at https://www.co.benton.or.us/criminaljustice/page/assessment-timeline.

Benton County launched the criminal justice system assessment by hosting a kick-off community meeting in February 2018 to start the assessment with a community dialogue about objectives, process and outcomes. The first and second phases focused on quantitative data collection from justice system stakeholders, focus group and listening sessions with community partners and stakeholders, and an evidence-based, best practices literature review. During a community meeting in May 2018, CGL and GOBHI presented the first and second phase data.

During the third phase of the criminal justice system assessment over the summer, Benton County hosted two community workshops to take a deeper dive into topics of particular interest to community members. Roughly 50 members of the public attended and provided feedback on two workshop topics: Evidence-Based Approaches and Criminal Justice Best Practices, and the Local Jail and Incarceration Issues.

Public invited to participate in criminal justice workshops – Jul. 17, 2018

Now in the third phase of the criminal justice system assessment, Benton County will host two community workshops to take a deeper dive into topics of particular interest to community members. Feedback provided by community members during the first two phases of the assessment informed these topics.

The topic of the first workshop is “Evidence-Based Approaches and Criminal Justice Best Practices.” The workshop will open with a presentation on what “works” for diversion and recidivism reduction. The presentation will include effective practices for diversion for all populations and those practices specifically for people with behavioral health issues, plus effective practices for reducing recidivism for all offenders. This workshop will be held on Tuesday, July 24, 2018 from 6:00pm to 7:30pm at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library at 645 NW Monroe Avenue, Corvallis, OR 97330.

The topic of the second workshop is “Local Jail and Incarceration Issues.” The workshop will open with a detailed overview of the jail-specific data gathered as part of the criminal justice system assessment in phase 2. The presentation will include data gathered from the County’s jail located in downtown Corvallis, plus the rented beds at the Northern Oregon Regional Correctional Facility located in The Dalles, Oregon. This workshop will be held on Wednesday, July 25, 2018 from 6:00pm to 7:30pm at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library at 645 NW Monroe Avenue, Corvallis, OR 97330.

Project manager Ari Basil-Wagner will facilitate both workshops. Light refreshments will be provided.

Attendees can register for either workshop online at: http://bit.ly/BentonGov-CJworkshops. Registration is first-come, first-serve and closes at 5:00pm on Monday, July 23, 2018.

The primary purpose of the criminal justice system assessment is to provide a trusted and accessible system of justice that provides a high degree of safety and confidence. The Benton County Board of Commissioners want to:

engage our communities and develop a common vision for the criminal justice system,
investigate all aspects of the system to provide a full assessment,
identify improvements to the system to better serve the public and inmates.

Learn more and sign-up to receive updates about the system assessment at: co.benton.or.us/criminaljustice.

Criminal Justice Assessment Data Report-Out and Community Meeting on May 31 – May 16, 2018

The Benton County Criminal Justice Assessment is wrapping up the first and second phase data collection at the end of this month.

The Data Report-out and Community Meeting will be held on Thursday, May 31, 2018 from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. at the Benton County Historical Museum (second floor auditorium), 1101 Main Street, Philomath, OR 97370. Parking is available on-site.

Doors open at 6:00 p.m., and light snacks will be provided. A program will begin with a presentation and analysis of the quantitative data collected by CGL, the consulting project directors. The qualitative data gathered will be presented by GOBHI, consulting project managers. Following both presentations, meeting attendees will help determine the focus of the community outreach and engagement occurring in the third phase of the assessment.

Over the summer, we will host a series of workshops. One will focus on SWOT analysis and priorities for the draft plan. Additional workshop topics will be selected from themes arising out of Phase I and II analyses. Instant polling at the May 31 meeting and an online survey will help prioritize workshop topics. Topics for the upcoming workshops will be announced shortly following the May 31 community meeting.

Time for networking with the Benton County Commissioners and Criminal Justice Steering Committee members is available before and after the program.

Learn more and sign-up to receive updates about the system assessment at co.benton.or.us/criminaljustice.

Criminal Justice Project Launch video recording and materials available – Mar. 26, 2018

The video recording, summary of comments and follow-up responses from the County’s Criminal Justice System Assessment Project Launch and Community Meeting held on February 20, 2018 is now available.

Video: youtu.be/G_mwXICcpmc

Feedback summary: goo.gl/eoRVgc

Please save the date for the next community event, where we will present the data gathered during the assessment’s initial phase. It will be held on Wednesday, May 31, 2018 at the Benton County Historical Museum, 101 Main St, Philomath, OR 97370. Doors will open at 6:00pm and the program is anticipated to begin at 6:30pm.

County launches criminal justice system assessment with community meeting – Feb. 8, 2018

The Benton County Board of Commissioners and Criminal Justice Steering Committee are hosting a project launch and community meeting to start the criminal justice system assessment with a dialogue about objectives, process and outcomes. The launch and community meeting will be held Tuesday, February, 20, 2018 from 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at the Courtyard by Marriott Corvallis, 400 SW 1st Street, Corvallis, OR 97333.

Parking is available in the on-site garage. The program begins at 7:00pm and community members will have an opportunity to meet and network with Commissioners, Steering Committee members and the consultants directing and managing the assessment before and after the program.

The Steering Committee is an ad hoc committee comprised of representatives of the justice system including judiciary, law enforcement, prosecution, defense bar, health services, and the public. The Steering Committee serves in an advisory capacity and provides direction and feedback to the study.

On January 16, 2018, the Benton County Board of Commissioners approved a consulting contract for direction of an in-depth assessment of the county’s criminal justice system and project management for the assessment.

CGL will conduct the criminal justice system assessment and serve as the project director. CGL is an award-winning consulting firm that develops meaningful solutions for criminal justice systems and public facilities. They have provided solutions for 900+ counties and municipalities in all 50 states.

Project management is contracted with the Oregon Center on Behavioral Health and Justice Integration (OCBHJI), a center supported by Greater Oregon Behavioral Health, Inc. OCBHJI helps jurisdictions implement and improve systemic and programmatic efforts that successfully divert individuals with serious behavioral health needs from entering various points within the justice system.

engage our communities & develop a common vision for the criminal justice system,
investigate all aspects of the system to provide a full assessment,
identify improvements to the system to better serve the public and inmates.

The assessment is projected to occur in four phases during 2018, with multiple opportunities to engage with the public. The next public engagement event is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, May 24, 2018.

Learn more and sign-up to receive updates about the system assessment co.benton.or.us/criminaljustice.

Supporting documents

Criminal Justice System Assessment Scope of Work

Return to Safety & Justice background