In November 2022, Multnomah County voters approved Measure 26-233, a County Charter amendment recommended by the Multnomah County Charter Review Committee that requires Board members to conduct at least one additional inspection of County jails per calendar year, with at least one volunteer member of the public to accompany the Board. This is in addition to the Board’s yearly inspection already required by Oregon Revised Statute (ORS 169.040) and the County Charter. The first additional inspection was carried out during the 2023 calendar year with four members of the public.
The volunteers’ reports of findings and recommendations were published to this webpage on Dec. 27, 2024.
2024 Final Volunteer Reports
The volunteers selected for the 2024 additional inspection submitted reports outlining their findings and recommendations:
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Several County officials and departments submitted response and thank you letters:
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Information about the 2024 Applicant Selection Process
The application period for the 2024 calendar year inspection program closed on Sept. 16, 2024. On Oct. 22, 2024, the selected public volunteers accompanied the Board of County Commissioners and members of their staff for the additional inspection of Multnomah County jail facilities.
Requirements and considerations for applicants included:
- Applicants are required to complete the Records Check Authorization form and be approved to access a Multnomah County Sheriff's Office corrections facility.
- Please note, having previous contact with law enforcement is not necessarily disqualifying for this opportunity.
- Applicants are also required to sign a Facility Entry Agreement in order to access a Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office corrections facility.
- Applicants who meet the following qualifications will be prioritized:
- Those who live or work in the county, or have a demonstrated connection to Multnomah County.
- Those who have lived experience or a connection to communities disproportionately impacted by institutionalization and/or incarceration.
Selected applicants were expected to:
- Attend an orientation that includes information about the expectations and responsibilities of the role, as well as safety measures when visiting facilities.
- Attend an annual inspection of the Multnomah County Detention Center and Multnomah County Inverness Jail, in person.
- Participate in developing a report with their findings and recommendations from the inspection.
Program staff anticipate a similar application schedule in 2025.
2024 Project Team
- Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office
- Local Public Safety Coordinating Council
- Multnomah County Office of Community Involvement
- Multnomah County Central Human Resources
- Multnomah County Chief Operating Officer
- Multnomah County Communications
2023 Correctional Facilities Community Inspection Program
Find information about and reports resulting from the 2023 Correctional Facilities Community Inspection Program (formerly known as the Additional Jail Inspection Program) here.
Background on Measure 26-233
In November 2006, Multnomah County passed Resolution 06-198, which established a policy requiring the Board of County Commissioners to conduct an annual inspection of each County correctional facility, as mandated by Oregon Revised Statute (ORS) 169.040. The resolution recognized that regular inspections are essential to ensuring that County jail facilities are being run in accordance with best practices and that the rights of justice-involved individuals in custody are being protected.
In November 2022, Multnomah County voters approved Measure 26-233, a County Charter amendment recommended by the Multnomah County Charter Review Committee that requires Board members to conduct at least one additional inspection of County jails administered by the Sheriff's Office per calendar year. The amendment also mandates that at least one volunteer member of the public accompanies each Board member during the inspection.
The Charter amendment is another step toward ensuring that correctional facilities in Multnomah County are operated in a transparent and accountable manner. Currently, the Multnomah County Detention Center and Multnomah County Inverness Jail undergo external evaluations and receive recommendations provided by the Board of County Commissioners, an annual Corrections Grand Jury process facilitated by the District Attorney’s Office and conducted independently by Multnomah County residents, and the Oregon State Sheriff’s Association’s inspections. These inspections are intended to ensure compliance with applicable statutes and best practices. Other organizations, such as Disability Rights Oregon, also have oversight authority that continues to guide policies and practices.
The involvement of a volunteer member of the public in the inspection process will provide an additional layer of oversight. Multnomah County is committed to upholding high standards of safety, fairness and justice within its correctional facilities.
Get in Touch
If you have any questions about the Correctional Facilities Community Inspection Program, contact Allison Don at allison.don@multco.us.
If you have any questions about the additional inspection that occurred in 2023, contact Jenny Carver, Deputy Chief of Staff for Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, at jenny.carver@mcso.us.