2021 CCSO Year In Review - Flipbook - Page 20
CC SO 2021 Ye ar in R e v ie w
•
Clackamas County Jail
The county’s original Jail
burns down in 1846
The Jail in 1960,
a year after debuting at
its current location
CLACKA MA S C OUNTY JA IL
History
1845
1846
1854
1884
1937
20
The first public building in Oregon
was a jail — the first jail west of the
Rocky Mountains. And it was built in
Oregon City. It was two stories tall,
18 feet square and made of wood.
The jail burns down under mysterious
circumstances.
A second jail is built. In addition, a
8-by-4-foot steel box may have been
used as a temporary jail when other
accommodations weren’t available.
It was windowless and seated two —
uncomfortably.
The County’s fifth courthouse is built
in Oregon City, and the County Jail
moves into the basement. There are
reports of prisoners talking to the
public through the bars.
The sixth and final courthouse opens
at the same location in 1937. Its
basement jail became overcrowded
— and a determined prisoner could
reportedly cut through the weak
steel grating with a knife. The federal
government refused to approve it for
holding federal prisoners.
1959
The Clackamas County Jail is built at
its current site in Oregon City. It has a
capacity of about 86 prisoners.
1982
The Jail is remodeled, and an
addition constructed — raising its
capacity to 164.
1990
Another addition is constructed to accommodate the Oregon Corrections
Intake Center (OCIC) — adding 300
beds, administrative space, and new
medical and booking facilities.
2002
The OCIC moves to a new location,
and the Clackamas County Jail
absorbs the vacated space. Thirty
beds are converted to an in-house
laundry service — increasing the total
number of jail beds to 434.
2006
The Jail adds an additional 7,500
square feet of booking cells and
day-rooms under a VOITIS
(Violent Offender Incarceration and
Truth-in-Sentencing) grant —
freeing up felony beds to keep
violent offenders in jail.
2011
New construction begins to remodel
the Jail to create a more efficient
operation. The remodel adds beds
and program space.
2015
The Jail begins a multi-year accreditation journey when it earns full
compliance with the Oregon State
Sheriffs’ Association Jail Standards.
(It has earned full compliance two
more times since.)
2020
The National Commission on
Correctional Health Care’s
(NCCHC’s) Accreditation and
Standards Committee accredits the
Jail for complying with NCCHC’s
Standards for Health Services
in Jails.
2021
The National Commission on
Correctional Health Care (NCCHC)
accredits the Jail’s Opioid Treatment
Program (OTP). Additionally, the
passage of Measure 3-566 in May
opens 26 mental-health/medical jail
beds — raising the total number of
jail beds to 491.
