Analysis: Homeless make up majority of Portland arrests

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – A recent analysis found that one in every two arrests made by the Portland Police Bureau last year was of a homeless person.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports homeless people accounted for 52 percent of arrests in 2017.

A federal survey last year found 4,177 people living outside, in shelters or transitional housing in all of Multnomah County.

The newspaper’s analysis found that 4,437 homeless people – 260 more than the survey counted – were arrested by Portland police last year.

Police arrested homeless people on property, drug or low-level crimes. The analysis found the majority of the arrests – 84 percent – were for non-violent crimes. And more than 1,200 arrests were solely for offenses that are typically procedural – missing court or violating probation or parole.

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Information from: The Oregonian/OregonLive, http://www.oregonlive.com