Benton County’s jail will undergo a new outside assessment next week. And we know what you’re thinking. But officials have hastened to add, nope, they are NOT preparing a bond measure for a new correctional facility.
After all, voters have been rejecting new jail buildout proposals for more than two decades now. The County tried on four occasions. No soap. The last time wasn’t just a no, it was a thirteen-percentage point nosiree, no way, not happening… drubbing.
But then, some officials could see all that hell-no as a dare, a challenge. And hope does spring eternal. And, well, Benton County does have the lowest per capita jail capacity in the state. Literally, the facility was built as a ‘temporary’ jail in 1976. County population has more than doubled since.
Anyhoo, will they or won’t they approach the voters; who really knows. But let’s get into what we do know.
County officials are saying
County officials are saying they are seeking the justice system assessment to better understand how things have changed since a 2018 assessment and to examine possibilities for addressing the current and growing need for a new Benton County jail.
Thanks to Technical Assistance funding from the National Institute of Corrections (NIC), Benton County leaders will receive expert advice on criminal justice and corrections solutions at no cost to the County.
A site visit by consultants is scheduled for June 16-18. Justice planner Alan Richardson and architect Roger Lichtman will tour Benton County’s jail and the new courthouse and emergency operations center site, interview dozens of people involved in public safety in the County and review the work done in the last decade to meet community needs.
“Alan and Roger will bring fresh eyes and new perspectives to help us build on the extensive work that was already done as we move forward,” said County Administrator Rick Crager. “They can look objectively at Benton County and identify opportunities and potential pitfalls as we prepare to open the new courthouse and consider the next steps for the safety and justice site.”
Sheriff Jef Van Arsdall emphasized the value of looking at multiple approaches combined with the expertise of local agencies and organizations.
“Benton County is in a unique position, and an East Coast vs. West Coast perspective can highlight different approaches to justice systems and facility planning,” said Van Arsdall. “I’m looking forward to hearing our local partners’ thoughts during this visit and learning how their experience can help inform the work ahead for our community.”
Benton County applied for the NIC Technical Assistance funding in 2024. The federal program was suspended soon after the application was approved. Funding was reinstated this spring, allowing the County to begin preliminary discussions with the consultants.
June 18 Findings Presentation Set
During their three-day visit, the consultants will prepare recommendations to present in a special Board of Commissioners meeting at 1 pm on Thursday, June 18 at the Kalapuya Building, 4500 SW Research Way in Corvallis.
The meeting will be open to the public; a virtual option will be available through a link on the Board of Commissioners Meeting Portal.
The presentation will include an overview of NIC’s New Jail Planning Initiative, a high-level assessment, identified roadblocks and pitfalls, and an outline of recommended steps, should the County choose to build a correctional facility. The consultants will not promote building or not building a new facility.
The meeting will follow the format of a Board of Commissioners’ Information Sharing meeting, so there won’t be any decisions made or public comment taken.
Context
The County last employed justice system consultants to do a comprehensive assessment in 2018. That investment led to the building of the new courthouse and emergency operations center that are scheduled to open in spring 2027.
The current courthouse on NW 4th Street is the oldest operating courthouse building in Oregon. It was built in 1888 when the population of Benton County was less than one tenth the current number. In the event of an earthquake, it is a building that would kill you.
Experts assessed it for retrofitting and concluded it could be made into a survivable building, but that doing that would be cost prohibitive. Most especially because the structure would absolutely still have to be scrapped after an earthquake. Survivable means folks live; but the building itself being as old as it is, not so much.
Also, bonus for the new courthouse, the courts and District Attorney’s Office will have finally have enough space to meet community needs of the what has become a larger county.
But nothing is perfect. While the new courthouse will open up many opportunities, including the chance to have a fourth Circuit Court judge and reduce delays and long wait times for justice and resolution, it will also introduce additional strain on the jail, which like we said, provides the lowest per capita jail capacity in the state.
The current courthouse is adjacent to the jail, enabling just a short walk through a basement tunnel for adults in custody to get to their court proceedings.
After court operations move to the new building, the Sheriff’s jail staff will have increased workload of transporting individuals to the new courthouse. Deputies already spend significant time on transportation, as about half the County’s adults in custody are held in Polk and Clatsop counties through the jail bed rental program.
The location of the jail in downtown Corvallis will also be a factor as the County works to transition the use of the historic courthouse. An RFP was released this week for a Courthouse Reuse Alternatives and Community Input Study. The current location of the jail will likely create limitations on alternative uses to be explored for the historic courthouse.
NIC’s New Jail Planning Initiative
The National Institute of Corrections provides four training and technical assistance programs for local jail and detention jurisdictions across the country. They are managed and delivered by criminal justice and corrections consulting firm Justice Planners.
The Jail and Justice System Assessment helps jurisdictions better understand the full scope of their criminal justice system, including alternatives before committing to facility development.
About the consultants
Alan Richardson is the founder and president of Justice Planners. He worked as a correctional officer, transition team leader and detention bureau commander prior to joining the staff of the National Institute of Corrections. There, he served as a correctional program specialist and technical assistance manager for the jails division.
Richardson has developed, delivered and managed training programs, technical assistance to local agencies across the country, and the development of key documents for local detention professionals. Some of these documents include the Staffing Analysis Workbook for Jails, second edition, the Resource Guide for Jail Administrators, and the Resource Manual for Transition to a New Jail.
Roger Lichtman has over 40 years’ experience in justice architecture working around the globe, 23 of those being with his own firm, The Lichtman Associates, P.C., in Princeton, NJ. An experienced architectural designer, he works directly with clients on creating and developing planning and design concepts, as well as supervising staff architects, engineers and planners from inception through occupancy. Lichtman’s experience covers all aspects of criminal justice design. This includes over 30 years of teaching for the National Institute of Corrections.
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