The Department of Corrections and Oregon Youth Authority must ensure that language needs are consistently identified at intake
Individuals with limited English proficiency held in close-custody facilities are at risk of receiving insufficient care because language needs are not consistently identified during initial intake, auditors found.
In an audit published today, Secretary of State auditors reviewed the roughly 30-day intake process at close-custody facilities within the Oregon Department of Corrections and the Oregon Youth Authority, and made nine recommendations to help the agencies improve their language accessibility and supports.
“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,” Oregon Secretary of State Tobias 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.”
Auditors identified that the agencies cannot comply with legal requirements, maintain the safety of people in custody and staff, or meet their missions of increasing public safety and reducing recidivism without proactively addressing language barriers.
Among the recommendations are ways to: ensure language needs are identified early in the intake process, make appropriate language supports available in health care settings, and embed language accessibility into existing structures and operations. Both agencies agreed with all of the recommendations.
Close-custody correctional facilities maintain 24/7 security and operations; there is capacity for more than 14,000 people in these facilities statewide.
The population of people in Oregon’s correctional facilities is diverse and continues to change over time, as does Oregon’s overall population. Currently, nearly one in six Oregonians speak a language other than English at home.
The lack of formal expectations and documentation for identifying language needs at both agencies increases the likelihood that language needs will be missed or recorded inconsistently.
This is particularly important during intake, when a variety of essential information is communicated, including health information, safety concerns, facility rules, and how people can communicate with family, legal counsel, and other support systems.
Improving language access can be done with simple steps if they are consistent across facilities and staff, such as adding “I Speak” signage in key locations, using plain language in documents, and designating staff to monitor language needs.