Oregon Penal Code Made Simple

by Kimani Upshur, M.Ed.

You live under Oregon criminal law every day — but almost no one has ever explained it to you in plain English. Until now. Oregon Penal Code Made Simple is the clear, honest guide to the Oregon Criminal Code of 1971 — Title 16 of the Oregon Revised Statutes, Crimes and Punishments — and the system around it. In twelve short chapters, Kimani Upshur walks you through what the code is, how culpability and criminal liability actually work, and the difference between felonies, misdemeanors, and violations. The book explains Oregon’s Measure 11 mandatory minimums, follows the criminal process step by step, covers the major categories of crimes, lays out your Oregon constitutional rights, and corrects the dangerous myths that get people in trouble. Every chapter ends with ‘Know the Law’ takeaways and ‘Protect Yourself’ action steps, built on a simple method: Know. Think. Act. — know the law in plain English, think clearly before you act, and act wisely. This is general information, not legal advice, and the book says so plainly. Written from a Christian worldview — Scripture first.