During the week of July 17 through 23, the American Parole and Probation Association (APPA) and community supervision offices across the country and Canada are honoring the work of the thousands of probation, parole and community supervision professionals who promote public safety and change lives. Here in Multnomah County, the staff of the Department of Community Justice or DCJ is being recognized for their hard work and dedication.
Each year, DCJ employees supervise more than 12,500 youth and adults on probation or parole and process about 37,000 cases. The staff works 24 hours a day, seven days a week and impact lives in ways many people don’t know.
They work in homes, in schools and in the community. They work alongside law enforcement and community agencies to provide social services and protections for victims. They also work on some of the most challenging issues like gang or domestic violence.
“It’s a very difficult job. I think the trauma that goes with this job and the day-to-day calls we get, most of those calls aren’t about how much people appreciate us,” said DCJ director Scott Taylor. “Everybody in this organization does great work and should know just how appreciated they are.”
From visiting youth on probation at their homes, to working with past offenders to help them earn a GED, DCJ staff works to provide a safer community. This year, their role is even more pronounced with a theme of supervision week being “The Future of Justice Reinvestment.”
Justice Reinvestment is part of a nationwide effort to reduce reliance on costly prisons by investing in data-driven, fiscally responsible policies and practices that make our community safer and reduce incidents of crime. Currently, 46 states have changed their laws and policies to reform sentencing and corrections systems, including Oregon.
“In Multnomah County, our Justice Reinvestment program involves all of our public safety partners and hinges on the supervision plan provided by our parole and probation officers,” Taylor explains. “We hold offenders accountable with appropriate supervision and connect them to treatment and other critical services that help curtail criminal behavior, make our community safer and make a difference in people’s lives - as we’ve seen through many of the testimonials of the people in the program.”
The Department of Community Justice staff plays an integral role in the Multnomah County Justice Reinvestment Program or MCJRP. Since 2014, MCJRP has saved the state $16 million in prison costs alone and is on track to save an additional $8 million in the final year of the 2015-17 biennium for a total of $24 million in savings.
“We’re asking our community supervision professionals to do even more than they already do,” said Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury. “It’s tough, it’s challenging and I know it’s difficult but it makes such a difference.”
Watch the testimonials of two Multnomah County Justice Reinvestment offenders: Carole Hinojosa and Michael Miyamura.
