NCJ Number
80349
Date Published
1981
Length
51 pages
Annotation
This report examines the role of the Washington County Department of Community Corrections (Oregon) in supporting the county courts, describes the costs and benefits of these services, and assesses whether the current community corrections program represents a sound investment for the county.
Abstract
Data for this study was collected from 1980 circuit and district court records on criminal and traffic offenses, statistics compiled on previous years, and financial records provided by State and county agencies. The Community Corrections Department offers restitution, community service, and supervised probation programs as sentencing options for judges. The patterns of case disposition and sentencing which have prevailed in circuit and district courts between 1977 and 1980 are described. While the use of monetary penalties and bench probation declined, community service and supervised probation increased considerably. The use of jail as a sentence declined precipitiously over this period. Caseloads, dispositions, and trends are detailed for serious offenses, sexual offenses, assaults, burglary, theft, car theft, fraud, drug offenses, major traffic offenses, driving under the influence, and driving while suspended. A model of what might have occurred in terms of sentencing in the absence of the Community Corrections Department between 1977 and 1980 considers a no expansion program and a cut-back program. Expenditures of the Community Corrections Department in 1980 are reviewed, as are revenues collected by various components of the county correctional system. The value of community service work, monetary benefits from job development activities, and volunteer work are estimated. The concluding cost-benefit analysis compares net costs of community corrections with the no-expansion and no-program models and concludes that the community corrections program was superior and a sound public investment, particularly in view of continuing increases in caseloads. Tables and graphs are provided.