A Systematic Content Analysis of the Justice Reinvestment Programs Across Oregon Counties

High levels of imprisonment and its associated costs have pressured criminologist and policymakers to create and establish new policies intended to reduce incarceration spending and lower the number of individuals under correctional facilities. Justice Reinvestment Initiatives (JRI) have been developed with the basic idea of redirecting the $54 billion annual incarceration spending toward rebuilding human resources and physical infrastructure of high-risk communities. These initiatives should create local programs that promote successful reentry, reduce recidivism, decrease prison usage, and improve public safety. Oregon passed the Justice Reinvestment Act in 2013, which allowed for all 36 Oregon counties to implement JRI programs to best fit their local needs. The present study explores three questions: 1) do the stated goals of each county fall in line with the seven goals of Oregon\u27s Justice Reinvestment Act, 2) what are the types of programs being developed in each county, and 3) does the Justice Reinvestment Act in Oregon align with the general JRI literature. This analysis is completed using a systematic content analysis (SCA). By categorizing the text of the grant applications through a structured, systematic coding scheme this analysis found the stated goals in Oregon counties are, for the most part, in line with the Justice Reinvestment Act. A total of 95 programs were planned in the 2017-2019 grant applications falling into six categories. Further analysis concludes the Justice Reinvestment Act does not embrace the full literature of justice reinvestment and policy recommendations are made to ensure Oregon is working toward all intended goals