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Deschutes County DA warns of rising complex violent crime and strain on office as workload climbs
Summary
District Attorney Steve Gunnels told the budget committee that homicides and complex prosecutions have increased in recent years, driven by substance use and mental illness; he urged more prosecutor staffing to avoid burnout and preserve case quality.
Deschutes County District Attorney Steve Gunnels told the budget committee the county has seen an unusual rise in homicides and complex criminal prosecutions over the last five years, and that trend is straining the DA’s office.
“It's a very big pressure cooker,” Gunnels said, adding that the county had two homicides already in 2025 and that “when you look at these cases, there is a very high incidence of drug use and mental illness.”
Nut graf: Gunnels and line prosecutors said the combination of increasingly complex digital evidence, lengthy trials and intensive witness and victim support is increasing workload per case and producing a staffing gap; they urged the…
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