The CantmIre Post

Why is Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt prosecuting less than half of the misdemeanor theft cases referred to his office?

This is a sharp contrast to neighboring counties, which typically prosecute a much higher percentage of misdemeanor theft cases. There are a number of potential reasons for this discrepancy.

One possibility is that Schmidt believes that many of the cases referred to his office are not worthy of prosecution. This could be due to a variety of factors, including the value of the stolen property, the circumstances surrounding the theft, and the criminal history of the accused.

Another possibility is that Schmidt is simply overwhelmed with work and does not have the time or resources to prosecute all of the cases referred to his office. This is likely exacerbated by the fact that Oregon's statewide crime rate has been increasing in recent years.

Whatever the reason, Schmidt's decision to prosecute fewer misdemeanor theft cases than his counterparts in other counties is sure to generate controversy. Some will applaud him for using discretion in deciding which cases to pursue, while others will criticize him for failing to uphold the law.