Marion County, OR. — Official Release: Marion County District Attorney Paige Clarkson announced that she has convened a grand jury to inquire into the conditions and management of MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility, the Oregon Youth Authority’s (OYA) largest closed custody detention facility, which is located in Woodburn, Marion County, Oregon. This inquiry is authorized per Oregon Revised Statute 132.440.
“I have grown increasingly concerned regarding the safety of youth placed at MacLaren. Communities around this state rely on OYA to rehabilitate youth who have committed offenses that judges find justify detention. It goes without saying that those same communities as well as judges, prosecutors, youth counsel, and families expect OYA to prioritize safety in that facility. Unfortunately, the more we learn regarding what occurred under OYA’s former leadership, the more that I believe that I should use every tool I have to ensure that both youth and the staff who serve them are safe.”
Over the past 12 months, the Marion County District Attorney’s Office has received more than 100 investigations of potential criminal conduct, some dating back several years, occurring at MacLaren. That number does not include investigations sent to other DA offices1, nor does it include incidents that are merely administrative or incidents that did not rise to criminal investigatory levels. These investigations do, however, include escapes, contraband possession, physical assaults on both youth and staff, riots, and most concerning, sexual assault. Most of these investigations have been identified following the discovery of significant backlog in the Oregon Youth Authority’s Professional Standards Office. That backlog prompted action by the Governor and drew the attention of legislators who have held hearings to oversee OYA administration.
“I commend District Attorney Clarkson and Attorney General Rayfield for launching this joint inquiry. Maintaining the public’s trust in this state facility—and ensuring the safety and well-being of the youth it serves—are vital for a just and humane Oregon,” said Senator Anthony Broadman, Co-Chair of the legislature’s Joint Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Public Safety. “We are eager to review the facts in their report this fall, and the committee will be ready to take appropriate action. We will not hesitate to implement reforms, ensure accountability, and make the changes necessary to protect those under the state’s supervision,” continued Representative Paul Evans, Co-Chair of the legislature’s Joint Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Public Safety.
“My office doesn’t receive state funds to address criminal behavior in state-run institutions,” District Attorney Clarkson further stated. “While we are accustomed to working with the Oregon State Police to manage cases arising from the numerous correctional facilities within our jurisdiction, the sheer number and seriousness of these MacLaren investigations is almost overwhelming.”
Given this large volume of investigations combined with the statutory scope of the inquiry, DA Clarkson requested assistance from the Oregon Department of Justice. Attorney General Dan Rayfield agreed and has assigned a Senior Assistant Attorney General to support the effort.
Marion County Chief Deputy District Attorney Brendan Murphy, Senior DDA David Wilson, and Senior Assistant Attorney General Kurt Miller will oversee the proceedings. Chief DDA Murphy has extensive experience with juvenile justice law and policy, is a member of the Oregon Juvenile Justice Policy Commission and was previously a member of the Supreme Court’s Juvenile Justice Mental Health Task Force. He currently serves on OYA’s safety task force. Senior DDA Wilson has significant juvenile experience and oversees closed-custody prosecutions within the Marion County DAs Office. AAG Kurt Miller is a statewide expert on juvenile law, including waiver proceedings and jurisdictional authority. He has been specially deputized as a Marion County Deputy District Attorney for this purpose.
Consistent with all matters that come before a grand jury, these proceedings are confidential. As such, no further information will be released prior to the grand jury’s final report. The Marion County District Attorney’s Office expects that the report will be completed by the end of the year and will be publicly released at that time.
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