Warner Leads Team to Salem to testify on behalf of Powder River Correctional Facility Immediate Release: April 21, 2003 Contact: Fred Warner, Jr. Commission Chair Commission Chair Fred Warner is leading a team of Baker County citizens to Salem to testify on the Power River Correctional Facility (PRCF) budget and a unique concept to increase drug and alcohol treatment, increase job opportunities and save state funds. Warner is supporting a bill currently working its way through the state legislature that would reduce the amount of time inmates from the Powder River Correctional Facility will serve who have successfully completed the entire drug and alcohol rehabilitation program. This unique program has proven to be nearly 90% effective in returning inmates to their hometowns and staying out of the judicial system. The amount of money saved by this early release will be returned directly to the drug and alcohol treatment programs at PRCF. "The Department of Corrections has been very supportive of the concept and has added it to its proposed budget. I have been working with PRCF staff and other treatment professionals on this concept since January. If this bill is approved, Baker County will feel the results immediately," said Warner. The additional treatment funding will increase the number of inmates who can be served, and will allow PRCF the opportunity to hire more drug and alcohol treatment professionals. Estimates suggest as many as 30 more jobs will be needed in Baker to accommodate the need for treatment professionals and support staff. This will be in addition to the estimated 25 DOC staff position resulting from the recent bed expansion at the facility. The Power River Correctional Facility's drug and alcohol treatment program has proven to be one of the state's most cost-effective programs. Upon release from the program, the number of inmates who return to the correctional system is less than 12%. "The reduction in time served by these inmates who successfully complete the program will be no more than six months, but the funds saved, the number of people treated, and the increase in jobs from this measure will be enormous," said Warner. "This proposal will help real people, result in real jobs, and can be done with no budget impact. This is good government business." Warner was asked to appear and testify before the House Ways and Means Committee by the State of Oregon's Correctional Director, Dr. Ben de Haan, who is supportive of the concept. Schedules permitting, those accompanying Warner in Salem will be fellow Commissioner Dr. Carl Stiff, downtown Baker City businessman, Tabor Clark, county-wide businesswoman Mary Jo Grove, prison advisory chair Karen Yeakley and a representative of the Baker City Council. The group will also meet with key legislators and DOC staff to individually lobby for the programs at PRCF.