Oregon Prison Population Fifth Fastest Growing in U.S.

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Friday, January 23, 2015

Joanna Evoniuk, GoLocalPDX Contributor

Oregon’s prison population grew faster than 45 other states and over three times faster than the national average, according to the most recent data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics. 

Prison populations in Oregon’s state and federal correctional facilities increased by 3.5 percent between 2012 and 2013, well above the national average of 0.3 percent. 

The problem of handling increasing imamates is a hard one to solve, according to Daniel Vasquez, a correctional officer and expert based in California. 

“There are no answers and no way of completely stopping crime,” Vasquez said. “The solutions have been evading us since they incarcerated the first person.” 

New Hampshire saw the biggest prisoner increase of 8.2 percent. Other states with increases larger than Oregon were Nebraska, Wyoming, and Washington, while Minnesota tied. Many states saw a decrease in prison populations. Alaska had the biggest drop, of 9.2 percent.   

The female prisoner population has been growing faster than males since at least 2000. Between 2012 and 2013, women prisoners increased by 5.3 percent, compared to a 3.4 percent male increase. 

Reasons Behind Prison Growth

Michael Kennedy is a senior analyst who works for the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis and one the state forecast for correctional populations. He said Oregon’s prison growth is largely due to voter initiatives that have increased mandatory sentencing and length. 

In 2012, Measure 57 which was enforced and increased the number of people entering prisons for property crimes, which Kennedy said mostly accounted for the spiked increase. 

The economy might be a factor in the state’s growing incarceration. Vasquez said prison populations always go up when the economy is struggling. 

The effect of a high prison population spills over to the rest of the state, by way of tax burdens and overcrowding in facilities. A 2011 Commission on Public Safety report found if Oregon prisoners continued entering the system at the same rate, it would have cost the state $600 million dollars over the next 10 years. 

An additional 2,000 prison beds would have been needed as well.  The state prisoner count was nearing a point that would have requiredOregon to build new facility to house all the inmates, Kennedy said. 

Focus on Rehabiliation

Rehabilitation and programs that work with inmates while in prison can help take pressure off state systems, according to Vasquez, as well as keep criminals from returning to prison after their release.

“Until we spend on money on rehabilitation, then we are just a puppy chasing its tail and not getting anywhere,” Vasquez said. 

Kennedy said district attorneys, judges, and politicians worked to pass new legislation after the 2011 Public Saftey report that focused on reduced sentencing time and rerouting funds towards criminal prevention, such as employment assistance and drug rehabilitation. 

House Bill 3194, passed in 2013, put money towards public safety systems such as state police, programs for inmates to earn probation quicker, and shortend sentences, including the reverse of some sections of Measure 57. 

Kennedy said after House Bill 3194 went into effect, Oregon’s October 2014 Corrections Population Forecast showed the state will longer needs to build a new prison facility to make room for new prisoners. The prison population is forecasted to increase by 476 people by 2024.

The focus on prevention is part of a national trend, as many states have adopted similar practices. Kennedy said Texas has put $2 billion dollars towards criminal prevention investments. 

“If Texas is doing this, there’s no reason for anyone else not to do this,” Kennedy said. “Prison is an expensive way to deal with the criminal population.”  

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Related Slideshow: Slideshow: Oregon’s Most Violent Cities

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