Present Duties
The central Department of Corrections offices are in the Dome Building in Salem. (Oregon State Archives Photo)
The department was created by the Legislature in June 1987 and works to promote public safety by holding offenders accountable for their actions and reducing the risk of future criminal behavior. The department has custody of about 14,700 adults sentenced to prison for more than 12 months in 14 state prisons throughout the state. It also oversees community parole and post-prison supervision of about 2,500 individuals in Linn and Douglas Counties. The department is recognized nationally among correctional agencies for providing adults in custody with the cognitive, education and job skills needed to become productive citizens when they transition back to their communities.
Oregon’s recidivism rate is about 35% when defined as the total percentage of a release cohort that was convicted of any felony at any time within the specified number of months following release from prison or jail. The recidivism rate is 28.5% when defined as the total percentage of an admission cohort that was convicted of any felony at any time within the specified number of months after beginning probation.
Information about this agency's divisions, offices, programs, etc.
Contact Information
Mailing Address: 2575 Center St. NE, Salem 97301-4667
Telephone: 503-945-0927
Fax: 503-373-1173
Contact: Colette S. Peters, Director
Legal and Legislative Information
Statutory Authority: ORS Chapter
423Records, Publications and General Information
State Archives Holdings from This Agency
The following are selected abbreviated listings from the holdings of the Oregon State Archives. Additional records may be available. These records may be viewed free of charge at the State Archives Building in Salem. Copies are available for a fee.
Take the Web tour for more information about visiting or ordering copies from the Oregon State Archives.
Title: Photographs
Dates: 1927 - 1968
Cubic Ft.: 2.5
Title: Publications
Dates: 1980-1983
Cubic Ft.: .25
Omsbudman
Title: Records and Reports
Dates: 1990 - 1991
Cubic Ft.: .25
Penitentiary
Title: Appropriation Ledgers
Dates: 1891- 1914
Volumes: 3
Title: Biennial Report Statistical Data
Dates: 1941
Volumes: 1
Title: Daily Inmate Totals Registers
Dates: 1896 - 1925
Cubic Ft.: .5
Title: General Orders Procedure Manual
Dates: 1955 - 1969
Volumes: 1
Title: Inmate Admissions and Discharges
Dates: 1889 - 1974
Volumes: 7
Title: Inmate Case Files
Dates: 1853 -1920
Cubic Ft.: 38.5
Title: Inmate Commitment Journal
Dates: 1857 - 1878
Volumes: 1
Title: Inmate Description and History Registers
Dates: 1887 - 1922
Volumes: 5
Title: Inmate Description Cards
Dates: 1965 - 1985
Cubic Ft.: 7.5
Title: Inmate Disciplinary Journals
Dates: 1905 - 1929
Volumes: 3
Title: Inmate Indexes
Dates: 1854 - 1946
Cubic Ft.: 4
Volumes: 16
Title: Inmate Labor Ledgers
Dates: 1889 - 1912
Volumes: 2
Title: Inmate Merit Award Register
Dates: 1878 - 1890
Volumes: 1
Title: Inmate Population Daily Average Log
Dates: 1891 - 1912
Volumes: 1
Title: Inmate Registers
Dates: 1854 - 1946
Volumes: 12
Title: Inmates Received and Average Time Served Calendars
Dates: 1901 - 1921
Volumes: 2
Title: Pardons and Commutations Register
Dates: 1886 - 1915
Volumes: 1
Title: Parole Board Actions
Dates: 1915 - 1947
Cubic Ft.: .25
Volumes: 27
Title: Parole Board Minutes
Dates: 1911 - 1919
Volumes: 1
Title: Parole Registers
Dates: 1905 -1937
Volumes: 3
Title: Penitentiary Improvement Fund Ledger
Dates: 1889 - 1912
Volumes: 1
Title: Population and Labor Furnished Reports
Dates: 1912 - 1929
Volumes: 1
Title: Visitor Registers
Dates: 1910 - 1931
Volumes: 5
Title: Warden's Correspondence
Dates: 1895 - 1942
Cubic Ft.: 2.25