Oregon
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Contact:
Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries
800 NE Oregon St., #32
Portland, OR 97232
503-731-4070
503-731-4103 fax
Web Site: www.boli.state.or.us
Information about State Department of Labor resources may be of interest to:
A. Federal Bonding Program
The Federal Bonding Program provides fidelity bonding insurance coverage to individuals with criminal histories and other high-risk job applicants who are qualified, but fail to get jobs because regular commercial bonding is denied due to their backgrounds.
B. Tax Credits
The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is a federal tax credit to reduce the federal tax liability of private for profit employers to be used as an incentive for employers to hire individuals from eight different targeted groups: TANF recipients, veterans, ex-felons, high risk youth, summer youth, Food Stamp recipients, SSI recipients, and vocational rehabilitation referrals.
Contact:
Oregon Employment Department
875 Union Street, NE, Room 201
Salem, OR 97311
503-947-1672
503-947-1668 fax
C. Unemployment Insurance Office
Unemployment compensation is a social insurance program designed to provide benefits to most individuals out of work, generally through no fault of their own, for periods between jobs. In order to be eligible for benefits, jobless workers must demonstrate that they have worked, usually measured by amount of wages and/or weeks of work, and must be able and available for work.
The unemployment compensation program is based upon federal law, but administered by states under state law.
Unemployment claims can be filed on-line, by mail, or at an Oregon Employment Department office nearest you. To locate the office nearest to you visit www.findit.emp.state.or.us/offices
This is the agency individuals may contact to obtain a copy of their state rap sheet. The criminal record repository can also tell the individual who else is legally entitled to have access to his or her record.
To obtain an Oregon criminal history report or a clearance letter indicating that no Oregon criminal history exists, submit a completed "Own Record Request Form" (available on the web site), copy of fingerprints and a $12 check or money order payable to Oregon State Police. Notarized requests are an additional $5.
Contact:
Oregon State Police
Identification Services Section
Unit 11
P.O. Box 4395
Portland, OR 97208
503-378-3070
Web Site: egov.oregon.gov/OSP/
Employers and service providers may obtain information from the state attorney general regarding occupational bars, the licensing of individuals with criminal records in certain jobs, and whether the state has laws that limit what employers may ask job applicants or protections against employment discrimination based on a criminal record.
Contact:
Office of the Attorney General
Office of the Attorney General
Department of Justice
1162 Court Street, NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-378-4400
Web Site: www.doj.state.or.us/agoffice.htm
Prison Industry Program
A unique prison industry exists in Oregon. Prison Blues7 is managed by a private sector staff of professionals working in conjunction with corrections officers and an average of 50 inmates. Array, a private company, is in partnership with the State of Oregon and holds the exclusive license to sell, market, and operate the Prison Blues7 product line. The factory is run as closely as possible to one on the outside, though with higher security issues. In order for an inmate to be eligible for hire in the garment factory, he must have demonstrated good conduct and go through an interview hiring process. There is a three year waiting list to be interviewed for a Prison Blues7 job. Inmates earn a prevailing industry wage, which ranges from a base of $6.50 per hour to well over $7.00 per hour with bonus incentives for quality and productivity. Eighty percent is withheld from their earnings to pay for incarceration costs, victim restitution, family support, and state and federal wage taxes. Jeans, yard coats, shirts, and T- shirts worn by inmates throughout Oregon are manufactured in the factory as well as a commercial line of products including jeans, jackets, work shirts, sweatshirts, T shirts, hats and more.
Contact:
Prison Blues
The Array Corporation
8338 NE Alderwood Rd.
Portland, OR 97220
800-784-7689
Web Site: www.prisonblues.com
Oregon Corrections Enterprises
The traditional prison industry offers the following products and services for state agencies and non-profit organizations within Oregon: embroidery, furnishings, GIS Data Conversion, metal fabrication, signage, laundry service and fulfillment services, which integrates telecommunications and graphic/web design with print/copying and mailing/distribution services.
Contact:
Oregon Corrections Enterprises
Oregon Department of Corrections
Central Administration Office
2575 Center St., NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-945-9090
503-373-1173 fax
Web Site: www.insideoregon.com
Pre-Release Program
During the last year of incarceration, inmates will be moved to institutions that specialize in release, primarily valley institutions such as the Columbia River Correctional Institution. The preparation for transition will intensify. Inmates will participate in alcohol and drug treatment, sex offender education, and work that closely relates to marketable skills.
Contact:
Oregon Department of Corrections
Central Administration Office
2575 Center St., NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-945-9056
Transitional Release
Release Services staff function as a link between the inmate, community and the Board of Parole and Post- Prison Supervision. Inmates submit release plans to their release counselors. These plans include proposed residence, employment, transportation and needed community services. The release counselor forwards this plan, along with available file material and documentation to the local community corrections office where the inmate will be supervised. The proposed plan and information is then investigated and verified. The result of this investigation is returned to the release counselor who then submits all available information along with recommended conditions for supervision to the Board of Parole and Post-Prison Supervision.
Contact:
Oregon Department of Corrections
Central Administration Office
2575 Center St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-945-9090
503-373-1173 fax
Web Site: www.doc.state.or.us
Community Corrections manages over 35,000 offenders who have committed crimes and have been placed under supervision by the courts (probation) or the Board of Parole and Post-Prison Supervision (parole/post -prison supervision).
Contact:
Community Corrections
Oregon Department of Corrections
Central Administration Office
2575 Center St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-945-9050
503-373-7810 fax
Free or low-cost legal resources, both in civil and criminal law, are helpful to individuals with criminal histories in learning about relevant state laws governing the expungement or sealing of criminal histories or addressing other legal issues resulting from having a criminal history.
A. State Public Defender
Contact:
Office of Public Defense Services
1320 Capitol St. NE, Suite 200
Salem, OR 97303
503-378-3349
503-375-9701 fax
Web Site: www.opd.state.or.us
B. Legal Services
Lane County Legal Services lists the offices of all legal services organizations on the web site www.lanecountylegalservices.org
Contact:
Legal Aid Services of Oregon
Central Support Office
700 SW Taylor, Suite 310
Portland, OR 97205
503-224-4094
503-417-0147 fax
Web Site: www.oregonlawhelp.org
C. State Bar Association
Contact:
Oregon State Bar
5200 SW Meadows Rd.
Lake Oswego, OR 97035
503-620-0222
Web Site: www.osbar.org
Community agencies are available to assist individuals with criminal records find employment. This information will inform individuals with criminal records about government agencies and community-based organizations that assist with employment, education or vocational training. Researchers and policy makers may find this information useful in identifying agencies and service providers in order to evaluate the effectiveness of these programs.
Employment Centers
One-Stop Centers are known as Employment Centers in Oregon. Services which may be directly offered at one or more locations: career counseling and assessment; transitional assistance (dislocated workers); employer and job seeker access to automated job postings; information on job trends and labor market data; help in finding federal or state dollars to cover some or all of the costs of training; information about employment and training providers to help the customer make informed choices; resources for job searches; employer assistance through recruitment and pre screening of applicants; veterans services. Contact: To locate the nearest office visit www.findit.emp.state.or.us/offices/
Better People
Better People is an employment and counseling program solely dedicated to helping individuals with criminal histories find, keep and excel in good paying jobs with fair, decent employers. Better People is the first program in the country to combine job placement and retention services with a therapeutic approach called Moral Reconation Therapy. Better People only costs $25.
Contact:
Better People
Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Portland, OR 97211
503-281-2663
503-281-2667 fax
Web Site: www.betterpeople.org
Steps to Success East
Steps to Success East is a program designed to provide comprehensive educational, social, and employment services to enable job seekers to gain the skills and qualifications necessary to obtain permanent jobs or to transition into a new career. This program is a collaborative partnership between Mt. Hood and Portland Community Colleges, Oregon Adult and Family Services (AFS), Oregon Employment Department, Work Systems, Inc., Human Solutions, numerous employers in the Portland Metro Workforce, and state and local community action organizations. Steps to Success is a "One Stop" affiliate for East Multnomah County (meaning the program is open to the public).
Contact:
Steps to Success East
1415 SE 122nd Ave.
Portland, OR 97233
503-256-0432
503-256-5503 fax
Web Site: dwp.bigplanet.com/steps2success/homepage
ARCHES PROJECT
The ARCHES Project is located on the campus of the Marion County Jail. It functions as a central social service center for recently released individuals with criminal records who have no housing plan. On-site services include mental health counseling and substance abuse treatment. A tenant rent assistance program helps find and pay for permanent housing for up to two years. A One-Stop job service center at the project offers employment specialist counseling, intake and assessment services, pre-employment workshops as well as employment referrals.
Contact:
ARCHES Project
3950 Aumsville Highway SE
Salem, OR 97301
503-566-6927
Web Site: www.committed.to/arches