“No De Facto” is a small grass roots effort attempting to educate others about Oregon’s unique stance on juveniles in prison. We seek to prohibit “de facto” (in fact, or in effect, whether by right or not) life without parole sentences for youth offenders in Oregon.
Oregon was one of the first states in the nation to recognize that youth offenders are fundamentally different and thus more deserving of opportunities to be restored back to a status of a valued community member upon successfully proving rehabilitation.
Whereas Oregon law prohibits technical life without parole sentences, it has been a practice in Oregon to routinely sentence youth offenders to sentences that exceed life expectancy. These virtual life sentences are being challenged around the nation and some states have passed legislation prohibiting de facto life without sentences.
No De Facto is hoping to challenge this practice in Oregon and seeks ways to enact and support change that will allow all youth offenders a meaningful opportunity for release based upon demonstrable reformation, retroactively.
Your support is appreciated and valued, as these efforts are the only efforts underway in this state to give youth offenders, now fully grown and mature men, a chance to rejoin society with enough time to create meaningful lives as productive community members.
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¹ Human Rights Watch defines de facto juvenile life without parole as any sentence exceeding sixty years imposed on a child under the age of 18.