Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 137 § 137.656 — Purpose and duties of commission; rules

Purpose and duties of commission; rules. (1) The purpose of the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission is to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of state and local criminal justice systems by providing a centralized and impartial forum for statewide policy development and planning. (2) The primary duty of the commission is to develop and maintain a state criminal justice policy and comprehensive, long-range plan for a coordinated state criminal justice system that encompasses public safety, offender accountability, crime reduction and prevention and offender treatment and rehabilitation. The plan must include, but need not be limited to, recommendations regarding: (a) Capacity, utilization and type of state and local prison and jail facilities; (b) Implementation of community corrections programs; (c) Alternatives to the use of prison and jail facilities; (d) Appropriate use of existing facilities and programs; (e) Whether additional or different facilities and programs are necessary; (f) Methods of assessing the effectiveness of juvenile and adult correctional programs, devices and sanctions in reducing future criminal conduct by juvenile and adult offenders; (g) Methods of reducing the risk of future criminal conduct; and (h) The effective utilization of local public safety coordinating councils. (3) Other duties of the commission are: (a) To conduct joint studies by agreement with other state agencies, boards, commissions or Oregon Health and Science University on any matter within the jurisdiction of the commission. (b) To provide Oregon criminal justice analytical and statistical information to federal agencies and serve as a clearinghouse and information center for the collection, preparation, analysis and dissemination of information on state and local sentencing practices. (c) To provide technical assistance and support to local public safety coordinating councils. (d) To prepare the racial and ethnic impact statements described in ORS 137.683 and 137.685. (e) To assess the extent to which each county is reducing racial and ethnic disparities in its correctional population. (4) The commission shall establish by rule the information that must be submitted under ORS 137.010 (9) and the methods for submitting the information. A rule adopted under this subsection must be approved by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court before it takes effect. (5) The commission may: (a) Apply for and receive gifts and grants from any public or private source. (b) Award grants from funds appropriated by the Legislative Assembly to the commission or from funds otherwise available from any other source, for the purpose of carrying out the duties of the commission. (c) Adopt rules to carry out the provisions of this subsection. [1995 c.420 §3; 1997 c.433 §2; 1999 c.1053 §44; 2005 c.10 §3; 2005 c.503 §11; 2005 c.706 §24; 2007 c.71 §36; 2007 c.682 §3; 2009 c.308 §1; 2013 c.600 §§7,9; 2017 c.614 §7; 2019 c.598 §3; 2025 c.557 §36] Note: The amendments to 137.656 by section 36, chapter 557, Oregon Laws 2025, become operative July 1, 2026, and apply to grants that the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission first advertises or otherwise solicits on or after July 1, 2026. See sections 50 and 51, chapter 557, Oregon Laws 2025. The text that is operative until July 1, 2026, is set forth for the user’s convenience. 137.656. (1) The purpose of the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission is to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of state and local criminal justice systems by providing a centralized and impartial forum for statewide policy development and planning. (2) The primary duty of the commission is to develop and maintain a state criminal justice policy and comprehensive, long-range plan for a coordinated state criminal justice system that encompasses public safety, offender accountability, crime reduction and prevention and offender treatment and rehabilitation. The plan must include, but need not be limited to, recommendations regarding: (a) Capacity, utilization and type of state and local prison and jail facilities; (b) Implementation of community corrections programs; (c) Alternatives to the use of prison and jail facilities; (d) Appropriate use of existing facilities and programs; (e) Whether additional or different facilities and programs are necessary; (f) Methods of assessing the effectiveness of juvenile and adult correctional programs, devices and sanctions in reducing future criminal conduct by juvenile and adult offenders; (g) Methods of reducing the risk of future criminal conduct; and (h) The effective utilization of local public safety coordinating councils. (3) Other duties of the commission are: (a) To conduct joint studies by agreement with other state agencies, boards or commissions on any matter within the jurisdiction of the commission. (b) To provide Oregon criminal justice analytical and statistical information to federal agencies and se