NCJ Number
153126
Date Published
1991
Length
101 pages
Annotation
This volume presents an introduction to, and summary of, a report on the status of the criminal justice system of Washington County, Oregon.
Abstract
The county has grown faster than any other in the State in terms of new and more jobs; it has a rising population, and a rising crime rate. The criminal justice system has not significantly developed to address the challenges of an increasingly complex criminal population and a changing demand for criminal justice services. The primary problems confronting the county relate to prison overcrowding, unreliable record and information management, and poor overall coordination. This assessment examined the problems of each component of the system, including law enforcement, the pretrial release function, the trial stage, community corrections, and incarceration. The report presents a profile of criminal justice system facilities and populations, as well as a facility assessment and options for change. Some of the recommendations involve enhanced police officer training and performance evaluation, case review coordination, interagency coordination, a pretrial release system, pretrial settlement conferences, an automated case information system, and sentencing reform. 18 figures and 3 appendixes