The efforts of the Department of Community Justice (DCJ) are guided by evidence-based strategies that maximize our resources and results, and by our core belief that people can change. We aim to address the underlying issues that lead to criminal behavior, and to help people successfully engage in civic life.
Our mission is to enhance community safety and reduce criminal activity by holding youth and adults accountable in a fair and just manner, assisting them to develop skills necessary for success, and effectively using public resources.
DCJ is committed to fulfilling our vision - Community Safety through Positive Change - by leading with our core values, in line with Multnomah County’s approach:
- A Just and Equitable System
- Collaborative Relationships
- Diversity & Cultural Responsiveness
- Healthy Family
- Information Based Decisions
- Innovation
- Investing in Employees
- Respect
- Stewardship
DCJ has three divisions:
- The Director’s Office, responsible for policy, program, and fiscal direction for DCJ, and infrastructure to support the Adult Services and Juvenile Services Division. This includes the equity, policy, communication, volunteer and intern teams, victim and survivor services, business services, research and planning, human resources and business applications and technology.
- The Adult Services Division (ASD) is Multnomah County’s Adult community corrections provider, responsible for specialized probation and post-prision supervision, recognizance and pre-trial monitoring, housing and treatment support, community service and culturally responsive programming for adults on supervision.
- The Juvenile Services Division (JSD) provides supervision for youth on probation and detention for youth awaiting adjudication, responsible for informal and formal juvenile probation, diversion, detention, cultural responsive programming and nutritional services for youth on supervision, as well as Family Resolution Services.
DCJ’s decision-making approach is rooted in data, research, evidence-based practices and equity. We are recognized on a national level for our approaches in supervision, sanctions, and programs serving the County’s highest risk and highest need individuals. Based on 2023 data from the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission, recidivism in Multnomah County for all age groups was at 23.5%, nearly six percentage points below Oregon’s average of 29.4%.
DCJ is hiring! Learn more about our work and open positions here.