Oregon Debates New Prisons Over Seismic Safety Mandate

Oregon officials and criminal justice advocates are debating whether to build new prisons or retrofit existing facilities to comply with a seismic safety mandate. Governor Tina Kotek issued an executive order requiring large state buildings to be retrofitted or rebuilt to withstand magnitude 7 or greater earthquakes by 2060.

The Oregon Department of Corrections is currently reviewing the 160-year-old Oregon State Penitentiary in Salem. A July audit labeled the facility functionally obsolete, prompting a review to determine if replacement is more practical than renovation. The department maintains a risk-based approach to find the most cost-effective solution for each facility.

State Resilience Officer Jonna Papaefthimiou identified the aging prison infrastructure as a significant barrier to meeting the state's safety goals. Meanwhile, the Oregon Justice Resource Center opposes new construction, arguing that the state should prioritize sentencing reform and reducing the incarcerated population to eliminate the need for expanded infrastructure.