In Pursuit of Community Justice: Deschutes County, Oregon

Although it is a relatively new development, community justice has many permutations and manifestations. Deschutes County, Oregon, applies a particular set of community justice principles and philosophies that have produced tangible, useful, and successful programs that build community, reduce risk, and repair harm. This article describes some of Deschutes County's community justice history and programs, including revamped victim assistance programs, victim-offender mediation, and a community youth investment program that treats youth locally instead of sending them to state institutions, earning state resources that otherwise would be destined for corrections costs and reinvesting them in juvenile crime prevention efforts.