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The State of Oregon has been participating in the National Institute of Corrections Transition from Prison to the Community (TPC) Initiative since its inception, as a model site. The Oregon Department of Corrections has made a commitment to what it calls “The Oregon Accountability Model” which provides a foundation for inmates to lead successful lives upon release. The Model has six components: Criminal Risk Factor Assessment and Case Planning; Staff-Inmate Interactions; Work and Programs; Children and Families; Reentry; and Community Supervision.

Team Leadership Structure

Led by the Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC), a Transition Advisory Committee is the forum for multi-agency collaboration that has been working toward more successful transition of offenders from prison to the community since 1999. This committee includes representatives from all segments of the DOC, from the Board of Parole and Post-Prison Supervision, from Community Corrections agencies at the county level, from other state agencies providing services to transitioning offenders and their families, as well as community

Early Targets of Change

Early targets of change included the development of a model for transition that includes:
  • Assessing criminal risk factors at intake and creating a corrections plan, or intervention plan to address the highest risk factors during incarceration. Assessing criminal risk factors and the risk to re-offend helps the department focus programming on those inmates most likely to fail upon reentry, and then to provide programming to increase the chance that the individual will be successful and crime-free upon return to the community.
  • Creating prisons that specialize in transition and release. Historically, inmates have been assigned to institutions based only on available bed space and custody level. With the implementation of this new model, regional releasing facilities have been designated. Six months prior to release, inmates are transferred to a regional reentry institution located close to their home community. It is during this time that preparation for release is intensified, family contact is facilitated, and parole officers are more able to begin in-person contact prior to release.
  • Automated transition plans. Release planning begins 4-6 months prior to release. A transition plan that forms the continuation of the corrections plan is created and available to the parole officer through the statewide information system. The institution counselor works with the community-based parole officer to create a plan that continues to address the criminal risk factors, as well as planning to meet community stability needs such as housing and employment.
  • Alternative incarceration programs. “Alternative incarceration” is a phrase that describes intensive prison programs offered by the Oregon Department of Corrections to selected inmates who are at risk of re-offending due to untreated addictions and criminal thinking. Alternative incarceration programs have three phases. Inmates who successfully complete the residential phase move into the community. Still considered inmates, they are supervised for 90 days while practicing the skills and discipline learned in prison. Those who complete this “transitional leave” phase are eligible to have their prison sentences reduced. After transitional leave, offenders are supervised by parole officers while completing their post-prison supervision sentences.

Assessment Strategy

Validated assessments of risk and need are conducted periodically during incarceration and upon release to the community to inform the planning for transition to the community.

Survival Needs

Two initiatives are currently underway to assure that the urgent needs of all offenders are met as they transition to the community. The first is focusing on pre-certification of federal benefits. The second is focusing upon the transition of mentally ill offenders, with the goal of assuring continuity of care during the transition to the community.

Pre-Release Planning

Approximately six months before release, most inmates are transferred to a regional reentry prison located closer to the community to which they will return. Programming is provided to better prepare the inmate for release and release plans are developed with the parole officer.

Case Planning and Management

A corrections plan is developed for each inmate based upon an assessment of risks and needs. The plan seeks to address inmates’ dynamic risk factors correlated with future criminal behavior in order to reduce the risk of recidivism. This plan is available in automated form at all DOC facilities and within all local community corrections agencies.

Innovative Partnerships

A recent partnership between the Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) and the Veterans Incarcerated Workgroup, the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, and Vietnam Veterans of America has resulted in the publication of “A Guide for Incarcerated Veterans in Oregon” produced by the Portland VA Medical Center. This handbook provides a wealth of information about resources in the community, how to get started in planning for transition, how to go about seeking federal benefits, and a “how-to” guide.

The DOC is also partnering with the Department of Human Services (DHS) to issue inmates a type of debit card that can be used to access state benefits such as food stamps and welfare payments. At release inmate trust account dollars are transferred so they can be accessed through the card, replacing the old system of issuing a check that was often difficult to cash. This provides an offender instant access to his/her money in order to pay for food, transportation, and other immediate transition-related needs.

Performance Measurement

Oregon has implemented a “balanced scorecard” approach to measuring its performance with respect to offender transition and reentry. The Oregon Department of Corrections and its partners are tracking such transition indicators as percentage of inmates with housing at release, percentage of inmates with employment/education at release, percentage of high/medium risk inmates in which a release plan was developed collaboratively among the institutional counselor, the parole officer, and the inmate; percentage of high/medium risk inmates that enter programs prioritized in their corrections plans; rate of participation in cognitive programs for high and medium risk inmates, participation rate in alcohol and drug programs delivered to high and medium risk inmates, percentage of inmates needing education who actually complete education; percentage of inmates completing programs; and percentage of offenders who successfully complete supervision. Improvements in these indicators are defined as benchmarks in the Department’s strategic plan.

The Department partners with the Family Planning Unit of the Oregon Health Division to provide each releasee with a "Smart Start" packet that includes health-related supplies and family planning educational materials, as well as information about public health services in the community.

The Department of Corrections worked with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to develop a process to verify inmates’ names while they are incarcerated. As a result, DMV now accepts DOC Release identification cards as proof of identity for former inmates who have a verified name. This allows offenders easier access to obtaining a driver’s license or state identification card.

Technical Assistance from NIC

Oregon has been recognized as a model site since the inception of the NIC TPC Inititiative. NIC is providing technical assistance to Oregon through its Cooperative Agreement Partner—the Center for Effective Public Policy. CEPP provides information, cross-site communication, periodic workshops for participating sites, and expert consultation from a site coordinator assigned to support MRP.

:: USA.gov > U.S. Dept. of Justice > Bureau of Prisons > National Institute of Corrections > .:: Privacy & Disclaimers :: Accessibility ::.