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County leaders and councilors press for data as juvenile detention stays lengthen
Summary
Multnomah County juvenile services leaders told the committee the system is straining under long detention stays and rising serious-case admissions; councilors pressed for disaggregated data and cross-jurisdiction solutions to racial disproportionality.
Dr. Kyla Armstrong Romero, director of Multnomah County’s Juvenile Services Division, told the committee the juvenile system is under strain from longer stays and more serious allegations.
"We are seeing an unprecedented increase in youth held for over 500 days," Dr. Armstrong Romero said, adding that approximately 25% of the average daily population now falls into that long-stay category. She and other county leaders linked the trend to court delays, a shortage of public defenders and evaluator backlogs, and said detention — designed for short-term confinement — is increasingly being used for youths awaiting case processing.
Councilors asked for disaggregated data on demographics held for extended periods and what policy levers could reduce disparities. Several councilors, including Councilor Smith and Councilor Maria, emphasized the racial disproportionality in juvenile caseloads and urged city-county collaborative strategies, including targeted interventions and budgetary support for services that can reduce recidivism. County staff said they can provide the requested data and highlighted collaborative programs like ceasefire and youth-targeted community interventions.
The exchange combined specific numeric claims from DCJ with policy queries from councilors; the committee did not vote on ordinance action tied to juvenile services during this item but scheduled follow-up data provision.
