Study: Oregon Prison Growth to Continue

SALEM, Ore. — The rapid inmate growth rate at Oregon prisons will continue for another nine years before tapering off, according to a recent study.

Oregon has experienced a 75 percent increase in its prison population since 1995. State officials attribute the growth to the passage of Measure 11 in 1994, which calls for mandatory sentences for inmates convicted of certain violent crimes. The prison population is expected to start decreasing in 2015 when the first inmates sentenced under the measure are scheduled for release.

The prison system has an approximate net gain of 21 inmates a month, according to the report. In 2015 the system is expected to have a net gain of about nine inmates a month.