| Prison Programs to be Consolidated |
|
|
|
 |
| Programs to be Consolidated |
|
For Immediate Release: March 27, 2001
Prison Programs to be Consolidated
By Dave Cook, Director
Oregon Department of Corrections
The Department of Corrections is implementing a plan to streamline the way we hold offenders accountable and provide services to meet their needs. As we implement these efficiencies, I wanted to take this opportunity to provide answers to questions you may have about the possible effects of these changes on inmates and their families.
Correctional programs are an important part of the Oregon prison experience. Alcohol and drug treatment, addiction treatment, job training, education and other programs all help improve the chance that offenders will become responsible citizens upon release. They also make productive use of inmates' time while incarcerated.
In an effort to ensure that inmates receive the services they need while reducing the cost of delivering programs, the Department of Corrections designed a more efficient delivery system. The Inmate Management and Transition System (IMATS) eliminates costly redundancies by consolidating programs in the state's 13 prisons.
Rather than duplicate part-time programs in every prison, it makes more sense to fortify the quality and boost attendance of most programs by offering them more often in fewer prisons. Each prison will be able to specialize, capitalizing on what they do best given their local resources, physical facility, and custody level.
Prison housing assignments are largely determined by each inmate's incarceration plan &emdash; all inmates are tested when they enter the state prison system and a set of objectives is laid out for them to accomplish while incarcerated. These plans reach beyond incarceration and into the transition time to the community following release.
Inmates will be transferred among prisons that offer the programs specified in their incarceration plans. For instance, an inmate who needs to learn to read and doesn't have any job skills will first go to a prison that has Adult Basic Education programs and then may transfer to a prison that trains him in a trade. Then he will likely move to a prison where he can use those new skills in a job. The last year of his sentence, he will move to a prison that specializes in transition so he can learn how to succeed upon release."
|
|
|
| Questions |
|
Here are the answers to some of your questions we've heard:
How is this different?
Up to now, prisons offered a full menu of programs. Under IMATS, prisons will specialize and staff will be able to provide the best quality programs. Additionally, space within prisons will be used for programs that fit well with its design and classroom space will be more fully used.
Are you going to be eliminating programs?
We don't think so. Since programs will be moved to the most appropriate prisons, it might appear that they have been discontinued. In actuality, they've been consolidated into fewer locations.
Are inmates going to be able to access the programs in their incarceration plans?
Yes. As we envision IMATS, if a program is identified in an inmate's incarceration plan, the inmate will be transferred to a prison that offers that type of program.
Are you going to be able to save money with this new plan?
Yes. We know that duplicating services 13 times across the state is expensive and redundant. The Correctional Programs Division within the Department of Corrections anticipates saving approximately $12 million in the next biennium while providing essentially the same level of service. This fresh look at how the department delivers programs will enable us to continue to provide necessary programs within the Governor's Recommended Budget.
Is there a logical order to the programs?
Yes. Incarceration plans generally map out programs that build upon each other. Adult Basic Education requirements must be satisfied before inmates can pursue a GED, for instance. Inmates must be trained in a job before they can be expected to perform that job, so clearly training would precede a job assignment.
When an inmate finishes his education and treatment programs, is it inevitable that he will be transferred to Eastern Oregon to a prison that specializes in work programs?
No. Inmates' placements are determined by their incarceration plans. There are prisons on both sides of the Cascades that offer programs, and there are prisons on both sides of the Cascades that provide work opportunities.
|
|
|
| Institution Specific Programs |
|
Prisons will tentatively focus on:
Intake and Assessment:
- Coffee Creek Correctional Facility near Wilsonville
Education:
- Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution, Pendleton
- Oregon State Penitentiary, Salem
- Oregon State Correctional Institution, Salem
- Columbia River Correctional Institution, Portland
Work and Training:
- South Fork Forest Camp, Tillamook
- Two Rivers Correctional Institution, Umatilla
- Snake River Correctional Institution, Ontario
- Oregon State Penitentiary, Salem
- Oregon State Correctional Institution, Salem
Work and Release Planning:
- Santiam Correctional Institution, Salem
- Mill Creek Correctional Facility, Salem
- Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, near Wilsonville
- Powder River Correctional Facility, Baker City
- Shutter Creek Correctional Institution, North Bend
- Columbia River Correctional Institution, Portland
- Oregon State Correctional Institution, Salem
- Snake River Correctional Institution, Ontario
Mental Health:
- Snake River Correctional Institution, Ontario
- Oregon State Penitentiary, Salem
- Oregon State Correctional Institution, Salem
- Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution, Pendleton
- Columbia River Correctional Institution, Portland
|
|
|
| Learn More About IMATS |
|
How do I learn more about IMATS?
The Department of Corrections invites families to provide emotional support and encouragement to loved ones who are incarcerated. To learn more, you are welcome to contact by phone, mail or e-mail, your family member's prison counselor. If you are unsure how to do that, or if you have other questions of general concern, you may contact the Department of Corrections at 503-945-8877 for assistance.
|
|
| |
|
|
