PORTLAND, Ore (AP) — Hundreds of Oregon juvenile offenders are scheduled to be released into less-restrictive environments and hundreds more now under supervision could be released back into their communities.
That’s the likely result of a major budget cut to the Oregon Youth Authority proposed by Gov. John Kitzhaber on Tuesday as part of his attempt to bridge a $3.5 billion budget gap.
The youth authority is scheduled to lose 425 beds, all of those likely coming from offenders who were put under supervision at the discretion of a judge.
Oregon Youth Authority spokeswoman Ann Snyder says the youth authority’s most serious offenders won’t be released.
Snyder says the youth authority will conduct a review of its offenders beginning July 1 to determine which ones are most ready for release.
