Police, Courts Have Fewer Options in Dealing with Civil Disobedience

Byline: Diane Dietz The Register-Guard

If war brings massive arrests for civil disobedience to Eugene in coming weeks, the protesters will place a heavy load on a rickety criminal justice system.

Agencies from police to jails to courts don't have contingency budgets to cover a big spike in their case loads, and the demand would send them pleading to lawmakers for money.

Eugene police can't count on the backup they once had from Oregon State Police and the Lane County sheriff's office because of layoffs. The Lane County Jail can't hold protesters for more than one business day because of budget cuts.

And it's likely to be July at the earliest before Lane County Circuit Court can take the cases, Chief Deputy District Attorney Kent Mortimore said.

"We need a way to process those …

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Publication information: Article title: Police, Courts Have Fewer Options in Dealing with Civil Disobedience. Contributors: Not available. Newspaper title: The Register Guard (Eugene, OR). Publication date: March 19, 2003. Page number: A1. © Not available. COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group.

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