USA: Oregon Senate OKs bill to keep youth out of adult prisons

Adult prisons aren’t the place for youth who wind up in trouble with the law, say members of the Oregon Senate who voted Monday to send a bill to stop that harmful practice to Gov. Kate Brown for her signature.

House Bill 2251 – which passed by a 23-7 vote on the Senate floor – prohibits incarcerating anyone younger than 18 in a Department of Corrections institution under any circumstances. Those individuals would be incarcerated, more appropriately, at an Oregon Youth Authority facility instead, supporters said.

They said research indicates that placing youth with adult offenders increases recidivism and risk of harm to the minor.

“Kids shouldn’t be put in adult prisons under any circumstances, and this bill is meant to prevent that,” said Sen. James Manning (D-Eugene), who carried the bill in the Senate.

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