AOC Prioritizes Community Corrections Funding
Many Oregon counties are currently facing a funding shortage for community corrections, reflective of state budgetary allocations not meeting current needs. At its October meeting, the Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) Public Safety Steering Committee adopted a 2024 legislative priority advocating for additional one-time funds ($16 million) for community corrections for the remainder of the biennium. These funds are critical to assist counties in maintaining current service levels until a larger conversation and effort can be taken to review and adjust the overall community corrections funding formula.
In 1995, the Oregon State Legislature passed Senate Bill 1145, establishing community corrections as a state-county partnership to provide supervision and services to certain offender populations. Through the partnership with the state, counties are reimbursed for individuals in their custody sentenced to 12 or fewer months of incarceration, and individuals on probation, parole, or post-prison supervision. The reimbursement rate to counties is based on a complex formula that considers among other factors: populations, case load forecasting, and risk assessments. A cost study is conducted every six years to inform the reimbursement rate. The latest cost study was conducted in 2018.
Oregon legislators received briefings on this issue in the House and Senate Judiciary Committees, as well as in the Joint Ways and Means Public Safety Subcommittee during September legislative days. The Oregon Association of Community Corrections Directors (OACCD) educated lawmakers on the shifting populations being served by community corrections due to a variety of factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, a public defender shortage, and Ballot Measure 110. The presentation also shared concerns that the funding formula was based largely on a point-in-time cost study, without considering inflation or population risk level costs above average. OACCD discussed funding challenges over the last few budget cycles based on this formula. Washington and Lane counties presented firsthand accounts on how the capacity required to serve the community corrections population continues to become increasingly more complex.
Rep. Kropf, House Judiciary Committee Chair, gave legislative blessings for a Department of Corrections facilitated workgroup to begin stakeholder discussions on the current community corrections funding formula with an eye toward the 2025 legislative budget. AOC was allocated three seats on this committee: one staff member and two commissioners. President DeGroot appointed AOC Public Safety Steering Committee Co-chairs, Commissioner Dave Henslee (Klamath) and Commissioner Jeremy Gordon (Polk) to represent AOC on this workgroup. The county perspective will also be shared via workgroup seats allocated to the OACCD.
“Community corrections is a key public safety tool in our communities,” says Commissioner Gordon. “We urge the Oregon Legislature to allocate additional one-time funds to county community corrections for the remainder of this biennium.”
“Looking ahead to future biennia, our steering committee looks forward to thoughtfully collaborating with our community corrections directors, the Oregon Department of Corrections, Oregon legislators, and other partners, as we dive into this complicated formula discussion,” adds Commissioner Henslee.
Contributed by: Jen Lewis-Goff | AOC Legislative Affairs Manager
