They Report To You

A Campaign for District Attorney Accountability

They Report To You
  • ABOUT
    • Who We Are
    • Contact Us
    • Why DAs Matter
  • GET THE FACTS
    • What Is a DA?
    • What Makes a DA So Powerful?
    • Who Holds DAs Accountable?
    • Who’s My DA?
    • FAQs
  • ISSUES
    • Police Accountability
    • Mandatory Minimums
  • DA ELECTIONS
    • How They Work
    • Roadblocks To Reform
    • The Governor’s Role
  • TAKE ACTION
    • Sign the Voter Pledge
    • Share Your Story
    • Request A Speaker
    • Contact Us
  • RESOURCES
    • Press Releases
    • Media Stories
    • Videos
    • Blog
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

A Terrible System

Slate
  • Media Story
A Terrible System<br><h6>Slate</h6>

Red Justice in a Blue State

Oregon has one of the worst criminal justice systems in the country. These prosecutors are largely to blame.
Slate Magazine Robert J. Smith

Here’s a riddle: What state incarcerates a higher percentage of its black population than Alabama, Florida, and Louisiana?

I’ll bet you didn’t guess Oregon.

Indeed, the Beaver State locks up its black citizenry at a rate twice that of Georgia and Mississippi. Oregon also has the second highest rate of youth transferred to adult court after Florida. It is the only state besides Louisiana that allows non-unanimous jury verdicts in criminal cases, and it is the only state besides Texas to require “future dangerousness,” a discredited and scientifically bankrupt jury determination, as a determining factor in sentencing people to death.

How does Oregon, a state that has voted blue in every gubernatorial and presidential election since 1988 and which was one of the first states to legalize marijuana, end up with a criminal justice system that more closely resembles the Deep South than its West Coast neighbors?

The blame lies in significant part…

Read More (Offsite)

Tagged

Oregon NewsWhy DAs Matter

Share

Related Posts

ACLU: DA’s need policies to ensure fairness, accountability

April 9, 2019

Prosecutors Sometimes Behave Badly. Now They May Be Held to Account.

April 5, 2019

Opinion: Time to raise the bar for district attorneys

April 3, 2019

ACLU calls for DAs to make policies public

April 2, 2019

Select Articles by Topic Tag

Criminal Justice Reform (2) DA Accountability (35) DA Accountability: Local (11) DA Elections (7) District Accountability (10) District Attorney: Local (21) District Attorneys (26) Ethics (1) Fiscal Responsibility (1) Justice (1) National News (5) Oregon News (11) Police Accountability (2) Press Releases (2) Racial Justice (4) Sentencing (2) Sentencing Minimums (1) War on Drugs (1) Wasted Tax Dollars (2) What Makes DAs So Powerful? (9) When DAs Break Laws (1) Who Holds DAs Accountable? (1) Why DAs Matter (3)

Recent Posts

  • ACLU OF OREGON CALLS ON LEGISLATURE TO PASS HB 3224, REQUIRING ALL DISTRICT ATTORNEYS TO CREATE WRITTEN POLICIES
    April 16, 2019 - 9:52 pm
  • ACLU: DA’s need policies to ensure fairness, accountability
    April 9, 2019 - 10:36 pm
  • Prosecutors Sometimes Behave Badly. Now They May Be Held to Account.
    April 5, 2019 - 10:34 pm
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Media Story
  • A Terrible System
    Slate

CONTACT US

General Inquiries:
[email protected]

Mail:
ACLU of Oregon
PO Box 40585
Portland, OR, 97240

THEY REPORT TO YOU

A Campaign for District Attorney Accountability
Brought to you by ACLU of Oregon

We’re Social

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
Log In

SEARCH

They Report to YOU Compact Logo

© 2022 They Report To You

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • ABOUT
  • GET THE FACTS
  • ISSUES
  • DA ELECTIONS
  • TAKE ACTION
  • RESOURCES
  • ABOUT
    • Who We Are
    • Contact Us
    • Why DAs Matter
  • GET THE FACTS
    • What Is a DA?
    • What Makes a DA So Powerful?
    • Who Holds DAs Accountable?
    • Who’s My DA?
    • FAQs
  • ISSUES
    • Police Accountability
    • Mandatory Minimums
  • DA ELECTIONS
    • How They Work
    • Roadblocks To Reform
    • The Governor’s Role
  • TAKE ACTION
    • Sign the Voter Pledge
    • Share Your Story
    • Request A Speaker
    • Contact Us
  • RESOURCES
    • Press Releases
    • Media Stories
    • Videos
    • Blog