By: Wright Gazaway
WASHINGTON COUNTY, Ore. (KATU) — Big changes are coming to Washington County and how it deals with people charged with domestic violence crimes — changes that survivors and advocates say will make victims safer.
We tell you about cases often where people are allegedly killed by current or former partners despite a history of abuse and even pending criminal charges.
The goal of this new step in the jail booking process is to identify cases where victims have the highest potential to be assaulted again or killed.
The changes were borne out of a series of homicides in 2022. In one, deputies said Carlos Jimenez-Vargas killed his ex-wife and her sister and then himself at a home in rural Washington County.
He was out of jail with an ankle monitor and an order to stay away from the home. The victims’ families are now suing the county and the ankle bracelet company claiming they failed to monitor Jimenez-Vargas and warn them he was getting close to the home.
Rachel Schutz, the executive director of the Family Justice Center of Washington County, said a broad group of stakeholders settled on a new risk assessment tool to improve the process between arrest and trial.
The assessment is a series of 18 yes or no questions about prior abuse, threats, drug use, and more. The number of ‘yes’ answers gives the score. (KATU)
The assessment is a series of 18 yes or no questions about prior abuse, threats, drug use, and more. The number of ‘yes’ answers gives the score. (KATU)
Starting in July, arresting officers will fill out a two-page questionnaire whenever a suspect is arrested and charged with one of more than 20 crimes connected to an intimate partner. It’s a series of 18 yes or no questions about prior abuse, threats, drug use and more. The number of “yes” answers gives the score.
“If somebody scores as elevated risk, then they are six times more likely in the next seven months to be re-assaulted or the offender to re-offend, and if they score at high risk, then they’re 10.5 times more likely in the next seven months to be re-assaulted or for the offender to re-offend,” Schutz said
The goal is simple: identify the people most likely to kill or hurt their victims in the future.
“The best way to do that is by using a validated tool that will give us some very clear distinction between those individuals that — at least statistically — are more likely to re-offend,” said Washington County Senior Deputy District Attorney Gina Skinner.
Skinner will train every law enforcement agency in the county on how to use the tool before its implementation on July 1. She said the form will be attached to the defendant’s case at every step of the process.
“That ultimately, hopefully, will reduce any violations of release as well as potential homicide, and eventually, of course, our biggest goal is to save lives,” Skinner said.
The risk assessment score may (in some cases) determine whether a judge approves someone’s release. However, Skinner said in most cases, it will set the level of supervision for someone once they’re out of jail before trial, like an ankle monitor or more frequent check-ins with a supervising officer.
Lauren, a domestic violence survivor, said the new screening will be a game-changer for survivors.
“Moving forward, everyone who is involved with the case will be informed on how dangerous a person is and how at risk the survivor is,” Lauren said. “For me, it’s helpful to know that this is happening so that people don’t have to have the same experience that I had.”
The problem extends far beyond Washington County, though it’s unclear how many counties perform a domestic violence risk assessment at arrest.
A recent statewide report from Oregon’s Secretary of State found over 530 people died in domestic violence incidents from 2009 to 2019. Schutz said the tool is a model for other counties to follow.
“The likelihood of lethality can be high,” Schutz said. “It is very important not only for the victims, but it’s very important for the justice system, to have validated tools for them to help in their decision-making.