Prison Program News

Turn Wapato into Oregon's next prison
As the state is paving the way for a new prison in Junction City, the Oregonian continues to urge that no prisons should be built while Wapato is sitting empty. (The Oregonian)
Green Jobs for Jailbirds
Can turning prisons into hothouses of sustainability pay off for everyone? (Mother Jones)
State decides against leasing Wapato Jail from Multnomah County
The Oregon Department of Corrections has passed on taking over the never-used Wapato Jail from Multnomah County, at least for now. (The Oregonian)
Officials Hid Truth of Immigrant Deaths in Jail
Silence has long shrouded the men and women who die in the nation’s immigration jails. For years, they went uncounted and unnamed in the public record. (NY Times)
The Criminalization of Mental Illness
"IN TERMS OF INSTITUTIONS that the state runs, there are more people with major mental illness in prison and jail in Oregon than there are in mental hospitals," says Bob Joondeph, executive director of Disability Rights Oregon. (The Portland Mercury)
Anonymous donor helps pay bill for prisoners to go to college behind bars
Oregon's educational offerings for prisoners have been limited largely to GED classes and vocational training since 1994. That's the year Congress stopped Pell grants for college tuition for prisoners, effectively shutting down every prison college program in the country. (The Oregonian)
Tips to Help You Get Through the Holidays
We've compiled a list of the best ways to beat the blues during the holiday season, both for those on the inside and the outside.
Solitary Disgrace
Prisons should abolish long-term solitary confinement. (Washington Post)
Measuring Death Row: The Cost of Killing and the Devaluation of Life
Of all the adjectives opponents use to describe the death penalty—cruel, oppressive, racist—the word “wasteful” probably doesn’t leap to mind. But if you can’t appeal to people’s consciences, you might as well try to get them through their pocketbook. (Colorlines)
CCCF Medical Neglect
Katherine Anderson nearly died of heart failure at the state women's prison. She has filed a federal lawsuit accusing prison medical staff of malpractice and violating her civil rights. (The Oregonian)