Oregon Prison Report

ALT On the Corner of Hawthorne and Grand in Portland, OR in front of the Multnomah County Admin Building, protesters hold banners and signs to draw attention from passing cars on the COVID-19 crisis at Inverness Jail. One banner reads "MSCO KILLS", kills in painted in red paint. The other banner reads "Stop the Spread" in black and then in red, "#Inverness Jail Outbreak" on the two opposing bottom corners slated text reads, "Free Them All" and "Care Not Cages"

ALT White text on a black background that reads: “Several legal assistants at Metropolitan Public Defender, and a public defender with Multnomah Defenders, Inc., spoke to the experiences they’ve heard from their clients inside. One person imprisoned at Inverness said that he sleeps wearing a mask and covering a towel over his face under a bedsheet in attempts to protect himself from catching COVID-19 from others in his dorm. Another had his release delayed due to the lockdown of his dorm, just days before he was poised to leave Inverness in January. A week later he tested positive, making it unlikely that he will still be accepted by the probation facility he was set to be released to.” Smaller white text below reads: #InvernessJailOutbreak

ALT White text on a black background that reads: “On 2/2/21 MSCO gave 108 prisoners at Inverness jail the Covid-19 vaccine. It is unclear when more vaccines will be made available. However, the lack of trust prisoners have in MSCO to care for their health or wellbeing make evident that vaccinations are not enough if not also coupled with medical care, access to PPE, sanitation practices, and mass release. MSCO has already failed to regularly test high risk groups for COVID-19 and implement effective sanitation procedures, in direct violation of the protocol they had outlined months ago in the event of an outbreak.” Smaller white text below reads: #InvernessJailOutbreak

ALT White text on a black background that reads: “Follow the hashtag #InvernessJailOutbreak for updates and ways to get involved.” Smaller white text below reads: #InvernessJailOutbreak

ALT A black background with a yellow border, there is bold white text within that reads: 2/4/21 UPDATE ON THE COVID 19 OUTBREAK AT INVERNESS JAIL”. The “COVID 19” text is in yellow, and there is a yellow megaphone in the top right corner.

ALT White text on a black background that reads: “As of 2/2/21 there are 107 confirmed positive cases of COVID 19 at Inverness Jail, 20% of the total jail population. Dorms 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, and 18 are currently on medical lockdown. On 2/2/21 the Portland Mercury published an article by Alex Zielinski, detailing the outbreak at Inverness.” Smaller white text below reads: #InvernessJailOutbreak

ALT White text on a black background that reads: “In the article, a representative from AFSCME Local 88 (who represents physicians, mental health clinicians, and other medical assistants employed by MSCO) said that union members have been raising concerns about COVID-19 protocol in both Inverness and MCDC for months. In December the union filed a complaint against MSCO with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for failure to alert health employees about potential exposures to the virus.” Smaller white text below reads: #InvernessJailOutbreak

ALT White text on a black background that reads: “Health workers say they still see corrections officers frequently neglecting to wear masks, despite a county-wide mandate implemented in June. A spokesperson for MSCO did not know whether any officers have been disciplined for not wearing masks. The union that represents jail deputies did not comment on the outbreak.” Smaller white text below reads: #InvernessJailOutbreak