The criminal justice system in Lane County is in dire need of help. As the Emerald reported earlier this week (“Report card reveals Lane County justice system stretched thin,” ODE, Jan. 24), Lane County is one of the worst in the nation when it comes to how many police officers there are per capita. The news is distressing.
While the report did offer some good news – the county does a good job of using the measly resources it has available and is relatively safe – we wonder if it is possible for the county to continue to function at this level.
Most of us feel that Eugene is a pretty safe place, especially those of us who have lived in far more dangerous cities. Those Eugenians who are lucky enough to have never needed to interact with the police for anything more serious than a noise violation may not have been aware of the limitations the county is under.
We certainly commend the justice system for managing to keep the crime rates relatively low, and although there are clearly things that could be improved within the system, the fact that the county manages to function at all is impressive.
However, the ability to keep crime rates under control could soon disappear as understaffing and small budgets take their toll on the system. If the county continues to have these problems, something is likely to give.
The Lane County Jail has only 152 beds and releases offenders every day. While there is probably no need to hold every person who is arrested, we wonder if people who really should stay behind bars are walking the streets because of the lack of space.
Part of the funding problem is connected to the Secure Rural Schools Act, which provides the county with federal funding to make up for the revenue lost because protected forest land can not be logged. The act is up for renewal this year and if it does not pass, the county could lose $47 million.
The county can only hope that lawmakers will find a way to present the renewal in a way that pleases both sides. The county may be managing for now, but any budget cuts, especially one of this size, would make it extremely difficult for the county to receive high grades in safety.
The problem is also due to the lack of public support for funding public safety. Several initiatives to increase funding for public safety have been on the ballot in recent years, and voters repeatedly defeat the measures. It’s hard to say whether taxpayers are unwilling to vote for additional funding because they are unwilling to pay higher taxes in general or if there is something specifically about public safety funding that makes them hold on to their wallets. However, it is clear that the county needs extra revenue, and it needs to come from somewhere.
Taxpayers may feel that if they have never been the victims of crime, they don’t need to pay for more police presence or more beds in the jail. At some point, we are all going to have to be willing to help the system, or more and more people may find themselves changing their minds about the importance of public safety.