The City of Eugene is considering the creation of a community court for some lower level offenses. Community courts are already in place in 
Portland, as well as in other cities across the country. Community courts focus on alternatives to tickets and jail time for some offenses. These court attempt to focus on the root of the problem, rather than on the offense itself. By focusing on the recurring problem, there is often a better chance of preventing the individual from committing the crime again.
The citizens of the city of Eugene are being polled about their opinions on safety in the community and about particular crimes. Some of the crimes being considered for community court are “public drinking, graffiti, disorderly conduct, overnight sleeping on public property and reckless driving.” The survey will be completed on March 2.
For more information on the community court possibility in Eugene, see this article: https://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2014/02/eugene_plannning_community_cou.html#incart_river_default
