Secretary of State auditors are recommending that the Oregon Department of Corrections make a plan to move adults in custody out of prisons that pose a significant risk to their health and safety, particularly the Oregon State Penitentiary.

This is one of eight recommendations released today as part of an audit of the facilities, staffing, and IT systems at prisons within the Oregon Department of Corrections. The department agreed with all of the recommendations.

“Oregon’s adults in custody are in the care of the state, and it is the state’s responsibility to ensure they are safe and healthy as they are held accountable for their actions, go through rehabilitation, and prepare to return to society,” Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read said. “This audit and our recommendations will help the Department of Corrections fulfill its responsibilities.”

The audit found that many DOC facilities are outdated and fail to meet basic living and accessibility standards; deferred maintenance costs as of 2024 were $861 million and rising; IT systems are out of date and there are a variety of barriers to modernization; and staff burnout, IT system limitations, and other challenges have made it difficult to determine initial success of the Oregon Way Initiative.

Additionally, auditors found that the Oregon State Penitentiary is projected to become functionally obsolete in the near future regardless of any additional efforts to address deferred maintenance needs. The cost of a replacement facility is projected to increase over time.

The Oregon State Penitentiary was built in 1866 with expansions in the 1950’s and today holds nearly 1,800 adults in custody.

Numerous risks to health and safety were identified at the penitentiary, including:

Old pipes creating water quality and safety issues — signs state to run the water for 5 minutes before using.
Interior temperatures soaring past 90 degrees in the summer — some adults in custody attempt to break windows to improve air ventilation.
The infirmary is small, crowded, and difficult to access.
The ramp to the shower is steep, creating safety and accessibility issues.
There are regular infrastructure failures, including sewer line breaks and boiler outages.

Currently no preventative maintenance is performed at the state penitentiary, only critical repairs as necessary.

“While we understand that additional resources are needed for major capital projects, a lack of funds cannot be an excuse for failure to improve the health, safety, and outcomes for adults in custody,” Secretary Read said.

The Department of Corrections has in its custody more than 12,000 adults across 12 state prisons.

Source: Oregon Secretary of State