Oregon’s congressional delegation cites ‘horrific findings,’ calls for changes at federal prison in Sheridan

Oregon’s congressional delegation on Friday, May 24, demanded the director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons take swift action to address staffing shortages, inmate medical needs and other “alarming issues that put staff and inmates at risk,” at the Federal Correctional Institute, Sheridan, also known as FCI Sheridan.

The medium-security federal correctional institution is southeast of McMinnville.

Signing onto the letter were Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, and Reps. Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici, Andrea Salinas and Val Hoyle.

The lawmakers wrote Colette Peters, Bureau of Prisons director, after findings were issued this week from the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General following two unannounced visits to FCI Sheridan. The inspector general’s report revealed serious concerns about staffing levels, which left inmates untreated for serious medical conditions, locked in their cells for longer periods of time than appropriate and without access to re-entry programs, according to a release from the lawmakers.

In addition, employee misconduct investigations have taken more than a year and a half to complete, and the prison has failed to track all reports of inmate-on-inmate sexual misconduct, according to the release.

Oregon’s lawmakers wrote: “While we appreciate FCI Sheridan has enacted some changes in response to this report, we are concerned your written response to DOJ OIG’s report does not effectively answer many of the troubling questions raised. Taken together, these deficiencies showcase a comprehensive failure by leadership at FCI Sheridan and BOP to protect both inmates and prison staff.”