Memo to Oregon Gov. Kotek provides first statewide look at drug enforcement

It's been two months since Oregon re-criminalized drug possession, and new data from across the state shows how the new law, aimed at preventing drug use and providing treatment options, is progressing.

Until now, More than 1,424 people were arrested for drug possessionsaid the Criminal Justice Commission, the state agency that researches and tracks Oregon's criminal justice system. In most of these cases, the defendants also face other charges such as trespassing and theft.

Between September 1, when the new law came into effect, and October 19, around 378 people were arrested for drug possession alone.

Oregon lawmakers re-punished drugs earlier this year as frustration grew over Ballot Measure 110, which decriminalized small amounts of hard drugs and has been linked to widespread public drug use. House Bill 4002 brought back criminal penalties for drug use, but also included provisions to ensure that substance use disorders are treated in health care settings rather than prisons.

Under this new law, people accused of drug possession will have the opportunity to access treatment instead of facing criminal punishment through a process called diversion. The law allows counties to design their own diversion programs or decide whether to participate at all. While the majority of Oregon counties participate in diversion, only some had programs running in the first few months after the law took effect.

According to a memo sent to Gov. Tina Kotek's office last week and obtained by OPB through a public records request, 213 people in 11 counties were deported. That means slightly more people would be distracted at this point than the agency had predicted.

“Because this program is so new, the Commission is not evaluating counties' 'success' based on these initial numbers, although it likely will do so in the future as it speaks with counties about their enrollment histories,” the memo said to the Governor's Office.

The memo also highlights a particularly missing piece of data: program results. In other words, are people who are turned away actually completing drug treatment or other requirements to avoid criminal charges?

“As of mid-October, insufficient time has elapsed to draw a meaningful conclusion regarding the effectiveness of the program,” the memo said.

Counties reporting their data included Multnomah, which turned away 83 people; Washington, which repelled 18 people; Deschutes, which fought off 13 people; and Yamhill, who fended off 46 people.

The memo does not include information from Clackamas County, which has a program that launched Sept. 1.