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Judicial Non-Profit Favorably Evaluates Eugene's Community Court Program

Bill Oxford
/
Unsplash

An independent review says Eugene’s Community Court is both cost-effective and efficient.

Since 2016, the court has referred the cases of low-level offenders to services to help them better their situation instead of having them spend jail time. 

Using 2019 data, the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) compared two groups: those who participated in Eugene’s Community Court, and those who did the standard court process.

In the first group, just under a fourth were convicted of a new offense within a year of completing the program, while the other group’s rate was nearly half.  

Judge Gregory Gill presides over the Community Court.

“The result of the evaluation I’m very happy with, especially some of the analysis that points to some of the greater efficacies of the program and the fact that it really is a cost saving to the community so it becomes a win-win.”

The NCSC says Eugene’s Community Court program saves the local justice system $51,000 a year in court and incarceration costs.

Another finding in the NCSC report shows that 20 percent of participants were incarcerated within a year of completing the program, compared to 45 percent for those who didn’t participate.

Judge Gill added that the city is still holding the community court, despite the pandemic.  Last October, they held an outdoor service provider fair at the Park Blocks.

“We actually did have court out there, we weren’t really conducting court but it was more of a chance for people can reconnect with their attorney, their case, and their case manager, to get their case back on track. And then also to make sure that the service providers were available to anybody in the community that wanted to come.” 

Gill hopes the community court can expand.  It’s funded by the Community Safety Initiative and Community Safety Payroll Tax.

The NCSC report on Eugene's Community Courts can be found here.

Copyright 2021, KLCC.

Brian Bull is an assistant professor of journalism at the University of Oregon, and remains a contributor to the KLCC news department. He began working with KLCC in June 2016.   In his 27+ years as a public media journalist, he's worked at NPR, Twin Cities Public Television, South Dakota Public Broadcasting, Wisconsin Public Radio, and ideastream in Cleveland. His reporting has netted dozens of accolades, including four national Edward R. Murrow Awards (22 regional),  the Ohio Associated Press' Best Reporter Award, Best Radio Reporter from  the Native American Journalists Association, and the PRNDI/NEFE Award for Excellence in Consumer Finance Reporting.
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