Marion County Commissioner Janet Carlson led the county’s 8th Annual Reentry Initiative breakfast in Salem on Tuesday, bringing together over 200 community, business, and statewide leaders to celebrate the county’s efforts to reduce recidivism. The breakfast featured local and state elected officials including State Sen. Jackie Winters, R-Salem, and Congressman Kurt Schrader.

“I’ve worked with Janet over many years and know her as a very smart person who is very capable and knows business,” said Schrader. “It’s hard to not go with her on whatever she is asking, especially a great program like this.”

Marion County’s recidivism rate has gone from 37-percent in 2002 to just 20-percent this year. Carlson credits transition services, treatment and housing as keys to the success for the community and the people being served by the program.

AOC has led the effort to provide funding for reentry and recidivism reduction programs around the state through the justice reinvestment initiative, which has provided counties $40 million in the current legislative biennium. The program is meant to provide resources to counties so that the state can avoid building a new prison in Junction City at a cost of over $140 million.

October 25, 2016

Contributed by: Patrick Sieng | AOC Public Safety Policy Manager