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Oregon Report

Oregon

IMPRISONMENT IN OREGON

At year-end 2004, Oregon prisons housed 13,167 inmates serving sentences of more than one year. Of these inmates, 12,186 were male and 981 were female. Oregon ranked 26th in its 2004 female imprisonment rate with 54 female prisoners per 100,000 female residents, and 30th in its 2004 overall imprisonment rate with 365 prisoners per 100,000 residents.

In 1977, Oregon prisons housed 112 female inmates; by 2004, the female prison population had reached 981. Oregon's female prison population was at its lowest with 100 female prisoners in 1980 and peaked at 981 female inmates in 2004.

GROWTH IN FEMALE IMPRISONMENT RATE

Between 1977 and 2004, Oregon's female prison population grew by 776% with an average annual percent change of 9.4% per year.

From 1977 through the early 1990s, Oregon's female imprisonment rate closely tracked the average trend (sometimes Oregon had a slightly higher than average female imprisonment rate and sometimes slightly lower). Beginning in the early 1990s, Oregon experienced a trend-bucking and fairly substantial dip in its female imprisonment rate. Although Oregon's female imprisonment rate resumed its upward trend in the mid-1990s, , Oregon remains below average in terms of its female imprisonment rate. With a female imprisonment rate of 54 female prisoners per 100,000 female residents, Oregon ranks 26th among states in 2004.

MALE TO FEMALE IMPRISONMENT RATIO

The male to female imprisonment ratio indicates the number of male inmates for every female inmate. Although both female and male imprisonment rates have increased over the period of study, a shrinking ratio suggests that the number of female prisoners has increased at a faster pace. In 1977, across the states, there were an average of 26 male prisoners for every female prisoner; by 2004, this ratio had fallen to 13 male prisoners for every female prisoner. Oregon's 1977 ratio was slightly lower than average with 25 male prisoners for every female prisoner. In 2004, Oregon's male to female imprisonment ratio (12:1) remained slightly lower than the average across states.

CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES

According to the 2000 Census of State and Federal Correctional Facilities, Oregon has 13 correctional facilities. Of Oregon's 13 correctional facilities, nine house male prisoners only, one houses female prisoners only, and three house both male and female prisoners.