pic: Steve Gunnels, D.A.

Criminal cases are slowing in Deschutes County as more defendants are found unable to understand charges or help their attorneys. District Attorney Steve Gunnels says the county’s aid-and-assist docket has more than doubled in recent years — from 24 people in January 2020, to 36 in 2022, and 53 this year. Gunnels says the main bottleneck is limited space at the Oregon State Hospital, where defendants receive treatment aimed at restoring competency for trial. He says the growing strain reflects a broader rise in severe mental illness, creating delays locally and across the state.