About Us

We are Healing Not Handcuffs, a collaboration between Springfield-Eugene Showing Up for Racial Justice and the Eugene chapter of Democratic Socialists of America. We oppose Measure 20-340 because we support a vision for what our community could look like without putting $22+ million annually toward the jail and youth detention. In Lane County, we lock hundreds of people in cells and behind barbed wire; that is not what most of us want for members of our community that are struggling.

When people are put in jail, there is a lack of true rehabilitation or positive outcomes. Research has shown for decades that putting more people in prison does not reduce crime. 

Using taxpayer money to keep people in jail doesn’t make sense . In fiscal year 21-22, the county budgeted $36 million for the jail (not including court and arrest costs). With 260 people in jail, that comes to about $11,500 per person per month. For that cost, each person in jail could have a personal therapist and full room and board before the incident that caused them to be put in jail. Instead of paying WellPath (the largest U.S. for-profit company that works in jails) for inmate services, our taxes could go directly to local agencies that provide mental and behavioral health services, housing, jobs, and basic needs for our community. Crime rates would be significantly reduced because people’s needs would be met, and we could use restorative justice and other alternatives to hold people accountable for their actions.

This might sound like a pipe dream to some, but we believe we can make this vision a reality.

Let’s work on healing our communities, making them actually safe. Please join us in opposing Measure 20-340 this May.

Alternatives to Jail

Lane County, Oregon, like many places in the United States, has struggled to find effective alternatives to jail for individuals with mental health issues or substance abuse problems. Alternatives to jail programs in Lane County are still in the process of being developed and expanded. However, there are a few notable programs and initiatives that are making strides towards providing alternatives to incarceration:

• CAHOOTS (Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets): A mobile crisis intervention program run by the White Bird Clinic that provides mental health and substance abuse crisis services as an alternative to police intervention.
• White Bird Clinic: A non-profit organization in Eugene that offers a variety of services, including counseling, medical care, and crisis intervention.
• Lane County Stabilization Center: An upcoming facility that will provide short-term care and stabilization for people experiencing a mental health crisis, as an alternative to jail or emergency room visits.

These programs and initiatives demonstrate a growing recognition of the need for alternatives to jail in Lane County, and a commitment to providing compassionate and effective care for those in crisis.

Frequently Asked Questions