The ability to understand and be understood is a fundamental part of providing safe, effective care inside any correctional institution. A newly released audit by the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office concludes that the Oregon Department of Corrections and the Oregon Youth Authority have significant opportunities to improve how they identify and respond to the language needs of individuals entering the state’s close-custody facilities, warning that inconsistent practices can leave some people without adequate access to essential services during one of the most critical stages of incarceration.
The audit examined the approximately 30-day intake process used by both agencies, focusing on how language barriers are identified and addressed when individuals first arrive at secure correctional institutions. Auditors found that existing procedures do not consistently identify people with limited English proficiency, creating the potential for communication failures that may affect healthcare, personal safety, rehabilitation, and access to legal and family support.
State auditors issued nine recommendations designed to strengthen language accessibility throughout the intake process. The recommendations focus on establishing consistent methods for identifying language needs, improving access to interpretation and translation services in healthcare settings, and integrating language accessibility into routine operations across Oregon’s correctional system. Both the Department of Corrections and the Oregon Youth Authority agreed with all of the recommendations outlined in the report.
Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read said the findings highlight an issue that extends beyond administrative procedure and directly affects the treatment of people held in state custody.
“People in state custody with limited English proficiency should not receive worse care simply because they can’t communicate as well with the people responsible for their health and safety,” Read said. “If Oregonians are able to get the treatments and rehabilitation they need in custody, we all benefit when they return to their communities.”
The audit concludes that language accessibility is closely tied to the agencies’ broader responsibilities. Without reliable systems to identify language needs early, auditors determined that both agencies face challenges in meeting legal obligations, protecting the safety of both staff and individuals in custody, and fulfilling their missions of promoting rehabilitation while reducing repeat criminal offenses.
The findings place particular emphasis on the intake period, which generally spans about one month after an individual enters a close-custody facility. During this time, correctional staff communicate a substantial amount of critical information, including medical evaluations, mental health assessments, safety procedures, facility rules, emergency protocols, disciplinary expectations, educational opportunities, rehabilitation programming, and information about maintaining contact with family members, attorneys, and other support networks.
When communication barriers exist during this initial period, important information may be misunderstood, overlooked, or never communicated effectively at all. Auditors found that the absence of standardized expectations and documentation practices increases the likelihood that language needs will either go unidentified or be recorded inconsistently from one facility or staff member to another.
According to the report, those inconsistencies can create long-term challenges that follow an individual throughout their time in custody. If language needs are not accurately documented during intake, access to interpreters or translated materials may not be consistently available during future healthcare appointments, educational programming, counseling sessions, or other essential services.
The audit also reflects demographic changes occurring across Oregon. The state’s population has become increasingly linguistically diverse over time, with nearly one in six Oregonians now speaking a language other than English at home. As that diversity grows, correctional institutions are encountering a wider range of language needs among people entering state custody.
Oregon’s close-custody facilities operate around the clock and collectively have the capacity to house more than 14,000 individuals statewide. Within facilities of that size and complexity, consistent communication practices play a significant role in maintaining daily operations, protecting staff and those in custody, and ensuring individuals understand both their rights and responsibilities while incarcerated.
Rather than recommending sweeping structural changes, auditors identified several practical measures that could improve communication if implemented consistently across facilities. Among the suggested improvements are placing “I Speak” language identification signs in key locations to help staff quickly determine an individual’s preferred language, using plain language in written documents whenever possible, strengthening documentation practices during intake, and assigning staff responsibility for monitoring language accessibility efforts over time.
The report emphasizes that these improvements are intended to become integrated into existing correctional operations rather than functioning as separate initiatives. By embedding language accessibility into routine intake procedures and daily institutional practices, auditors believe both agencies can provide more consistent communication while strengthening compliance with state and federal requirements.
Because both the Department of Corrections and the Oregon Youth Authority accepted each recommendation, the focus now shifts from identifying deficiencies to implementing changes that improve communication throughout Oregon’s correctional system. As the agencies begin that work, the audit presents language accessibility not simply as an administrative obligation, but as a practical component of delivering healthcare, maintaining institutional safety, supporting rehabilitation, and preparing individuals for a successful return to their communities.