Measure 110: Retain, Repeal or Fix?
Time: Noon to 1:15 pm
Venue: Maple Room at Inn at the Fifth
205 E Sixth
Eugene, Oregon
97401
Enter the Maple Room at Inn at the 5th near the north stairs to 5th Avenue. Details at https://cityclubofeugene.org/see-you-at-our-new-meeting-space/. An optional lunch from Provisions may be purchased; please, no outside food. Park in the lot north of the railroad tracks on High or park west of Market Square on 5th.
Ask a question of the speakers! cityclubofeugene@gmail.com
Topic:
In November 2020, a near-landslide of Oregon voters – 58.5% – approved Measure 110, which generally decriminalized small-scale possession of illicit drugs. Passage of the law was a call to change the state’s basic approach to drug abuse.
Voters rejected the long-standing policy of criminalizing drug offenses; the half-century “war on drugs” was widely proven to be a failure. That approach relied strongly on law enforcement, the criminal justice system, and imprisonment to respond to substance use disorders and illicit drug sales. Critics noted that relatively few people really kicked their habits in prison, and, once they had served their terms, their lives were so constricted and they had so few practical choices about where to live or work that they often relapsed.
Although some have called for repeal of Measure 110, most legislative activity now seems to involve amendments and fixes. The goal is to set a new direction, one that works better and reflects the will of the voters to help more people recover from addictions and send fewer to jail.
Does Measure 110 need to be fixed? If so, how? This issue will be a major concern of Oregon Legislature’s Short Session starting in February. Come to City Club’s first program of 2024 to hear the proposals and learn what science teaches about what works.
Speakers
Title: Research Scientist
Organization: UO Prevention Science Institute, Oregon Research Institute, Influents Innovations
Website: https://psi.uoregon.edu/camille-cioffi
Biography:
Camille Cioffi, PhD, is a research scientist at the University of Oregon Prevention Science Institute, the Oregon Research Institute, and Influents Innovations. Her research focuses on improving health, mental health, and substance use outcomes among people with substance use disorders. Her work centers on highly stigmatized populations, including people who are pregnant, parenting, and houseless, and those who inject drugs. She collaborates closely with substance use disorder service providers across Lane County, the State of Oregon, and the nation. Her research is funded by the National Institutes of Health. She has published more than 25 peer-reviewed articles and has fulfilled multiple Oregon Health Authority contracts focused on the use of evidence-based research to support improvements in health systems. She earned a PhD in Prevention Science from the University of Oregon.
Title: Chief Deputy District Attorney
Organization: Lane County
Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-parosa-887185a9/
Biography:
Christopher Parosa has been a prosecutor for over 19 years. He has prosecuted thousands of criminal cases, including misdemeanors, drug offenses, domestic violence, elder abuse, child abuse, sexual assault, and homicides. He has trained hundreds of police officers, parole and probation officers, victim advocates, community partners, prosecutors, and law students. In addition, he has completed a number of specialty assignments through the years, assisting the vehicular homicide team and teaching as an adjunct instructor at the UO School of Law’s Prosecutor Clinic. He earned a BA in political science at Oregon State University and a JD at UO Law School.
Title: Cofounder, Co-Executive Director
Organization: Community Outreach through Racial Empowerment
Website: https://eugeneweekly.com/2022/12/08/a-radical-change-in-social-services/
Biography:
Brittiny Raine is cofounder of Community Outreach through Racial Empowerment (C.O.R.E.), a Eugene non-profit dedicated to supporting, advocating for, and empowering young people. Since 2008, she has worked primarily with young people and families in a variety of social work and harm reduction programs. These include drop-in centers, shelters, street outreach teams, and management positions. She earned a bachelor’s degree in social and human services with a focus on social justice at Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA.
