Ten of Oregon’s 12 prisons were rated in poor condition, the state’s maintenance backlog has climbed to nearly $861 million, and a failure of the Department of Corrections’ aging computer system could force every institution into lockdown, according to a state audit.
The Oregon Secretary of State’s audit found deteriorating buildings, persistent staffing shortages and obsolete technology are undermining prison safety and rehabilitation efforts despite the Department of Corrections receiving approximately $2.7 billion for the 2025-27 biennium.
The department operates 12 prisons housing more than 12,000 adults in custody. Auditors concluded that years of deferred repairs have left most facilities poorly equipped to meet modern standards for ventilation, temperature control, accessibility, medical care and rehabilitation.
The statewide deferred-maintenance backlog increased from $568.5 million in 2020 to nearly $861 million in 2024. That figure does not include seismic upgrades, and corrections officials told auditors earlier assessments largely examined visible problems, not underground pipes or infrastructure hidden behind walls.
That means the actual cost could be substantially higher.
For the current biennium, corrections officials initially identified $110 million in maintenance needs and told auditors the system could require approximately $250 million every two years for three consecutive biennia. Gov. Tina Kotek’s recommended budget included $70 million, but lawmakers ultimately approved $50 million.
Auditors warned that delaying repairs often increases costs. Emergency equipment replacements can cost 80% to 90% more than scheduled replacements. At the Oregon State Penitentiary, an emergency boiler project cost roughly twice as much as a planned replacement, while a temporary boiler costs the state approximately $100,000 per month.
State Penitentiary nearing end of useful life
The most serious concerns involve the Oregon State Penitentiary in Salem, which houses approximately 1,800 men. Although portions of the prison date to 1866, most of its housing units were constructed in the 1950s.
Auditors said the penitentiary is likely to become “functionally obsolete” in the near future regardless of continued repairs. Prison management reported that staff are no longer performing preventive maintenance and are instead concentrating on emergency repairs and replacement of failed equipment.
The facility has experienced sewer breaks, boiler outages and problems accessing essential services. Its accumulated maintenance needs exceed $200 million.
Auditors observed asbestos tiles, chipped lead paint, mold, mildew and water damage throughout the prison. Some buildings lack adequate ventilation and fire-suppression systems, while aging pipes have created water-quality concerns.
Interior temperatures can exceed 90 degrees during the summer. Prison employees told auditors some incarcerated men throw personal belongings at windows in attempts to break them and improve airflow.
The prison’s only elevator does not reach every floor, limiting access to education, counseling, religious services and the law library. Some cell doors are too narrow for wheelchairs or walkers, requiring mobility devices to be stored outside cells. Auditors also described the prison infirmary as cramped, difficult to reach and poorly suited for long-term or rehabilitative care.
Those limitations are becoming more consequential as Oregon’s prison population ages. As of January 2023, 17.4% of Oregon prisoners were 55 or older. Older adults can cost two to three times more to house and medically treat than younger prisoners.
DOC requested $5 million in 2025 to begin planning for a replacement penitentiary and centralized geriatric medical facility. The Legislature approved $3 million, which department officials said would not fully cover the first planning phase. The agency expects to seek additional funding for design and construction over several future budget cycles.
The Secretary of State’s office recommended that DOC develop plans to move people out of prisons that have reached the end of their useful lives or present significant health and safety hazards. It also called for contingency plans in case other facilities become uninhabitable or structurally unsafe.
Earthquake costs not included
The $861 million backlog does not account for the full cost of making prisons more resistant to earthquakes.
A 2023 facility assessment estimated four prisons would require approximately $54.3 million in seismic work: the Oregon State Penitentiary, Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution, Oregon State Correctional Institution and Santiam Correctional Institution.
However, auditors said the added retrofit costs could make replacing those facilities more practical than repairing them. The warning comes as Oregon officials examine the effects of seismic-resilience requirements on state-owned buildings.
Vacancies drive overtime and lockdowns
Staffing shortages are also limiting prison operations.
In June 2024, DOC had 254 vacancies among approximately 2,468 security positions. Nearly 65% of those vacancies were concentrated at Coffee Creek, Eastern Oregon and Two Rivers correctional institutions.
Security employees worked 25,240 overtime hours that month, with 94% of the overtime occurring at those three prisons. DOC estimates it needs another 261 security employees to operate without mandatory overtime at current population and capacity levels.
The audit found DOC’s hiring process takes an average of 125 days and nearly half of applicants withdraw before it is completed.
Staff shortages can result in reduced family visitation, canceled education and rehabilitation programs and prison lockdowns. During a lockdown, incarcerated people can remain in their cells for 23 hours or more each day.
Auditors said the shortages also threaten the “Oregon Way,” the department’s effort to introduce practices emphasizing staff-inmate relationships, de-escalation and rehabilitation. Early observations suggest the initiative may improve staff morale and reduce volatile behavior, but DOC lacks consistent statewide data demonstrating its results.
A 1989 computer system supports prison operations
Auditors also highlighted a less visible but potentially severe risk: DOC’s Corrections Information System was created in 1989 using COBOL, a programming language for which experienced developers are becoming increasingly difficult to find.
The system records prisoner locations, housing assignments, court appearances, schedules, programming, dietary requirements and other information. A former DOC chief information officer estimated that it captures 90% of the department’s work.
It is also used by county community-corrections departments, the Oregon Parole Board, Oregon State Police and other public-safety agencies.
The platform is not web-based, is incompatible with mobile devices and continues to use a text-based “green screen” interface. DOC is the only Oregon agency still operating on its particular midrange platform, increasing licensing and maintenance costs.
Auditors said the departure of employees familiar with the system is making maintenance and legally required changes more difficult. DOC officials reported that a complete failure could require every state prison to be locked down until an alternative system was developed.
The department estimates replacing the system would take approximately eight years and cost $57 million. A $4 million request to begin the second phase of the modernization project was not funded in 2025.
Auditors recommended that DOC conduct an exercise simulating a catastrophic system failure and report the potential consequences for human life, prison security and daily operations to lawmakers.
DOC agreed with all eight audit recommendations. The department said its legacy system is currently stable but acknowledged that making updates is becoming “extremely difficult.” It plans to seek funding again during the 2027-29 biennium and expects to conduct a full failure exercise by June 2029.
The department also said it is developing plans for replacing the state penitentiary, refining emergency relocation procedures and implementing a 2026-28 employee health, safety and wellness strategy. Most of the audit recommendations have target completion dates at the end of the 2027-29 biennium.
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