Clackamas County Inmates Revealed: Behind the Numbers of Oregon’s largest jail roster

Beneath the quiet curve of the Columbia River in Oregon’s Willamette Valley lies Clackamas County Detention Center, a facility holding over 1,700 incarcerated individuals—a figure drawn from the official Clackamas County Inmate Roster that offers a stark, real-time portrait of one of the state’s most critical penal institutions. This roster is more than a numerical account—it reflects the demographics, criminal histories, and evolving challenges within Oregon’s justice system. Every name, nearly every record, tells a story shaped by policy, poverty, substance use, and the broader societal forces influencing incarceration rates.

The Clackamas County Inmate Roster stands as a comprehensive, publicly accessible resource, maintained by county officials and updated quarterly to ensure data accuracy. It captures not just the sheer volume of those incarcerated—approximately 1,682 at the most recent count—but also vital details: offense type, current charge status, sentencing dates, and, increasingly, demographic data such as age, gender, and prior parole history. This level of transparency enables journalists, researchers, and the public to scrutinize trends in incarceration, identify disparities, and advocate for reform.

Among the most striking features of the roster is its unpredictable diversity. Successive years show a steady increase in women’s incarceration—up nearly 25% since 2015—from 132 to 182 inmates, signaling a broader national shift as female populations behind bars grow faster than their male counterparts in Oregon. The data further reveals that 68% of roof inmates are serving sentences for non-violent or property-related offenses, including drug possession, theft, and alcohol-related charges.

This pattern underscores the ongoing debate over decarceration and the potential for diversion programs targeting low-level crimes.

The roster also exposes the profound impact of substance use disorders. Over 43% of the incarcerated population reports a history of opioid or methamphetamine dependence, with 31% having recently been incarcerated for possession—indicating both a public health crisis and a systemic failure in treatment access before and during incarceration. These figures have become a focus for correctional health initiatives, as the facility integrates medication-assisted treatment and behavioral counseling to reduce recidivism and support reintegration.

Size and Composition: A Snapshot of Clackamas County’s prison population

Clackamas County’s detention center ranks among Oregon’s largest, holding a population that fluctuates between 1,500 and 1,700 inmates throughout the year.

Its daily average sits around 1,680, a number influenced by processing new arrivals, parole approvals, and sentencing variations. The demographic profile reveals a population skewed toward working-age adults aged 25–44 (68% of inmates), with a male majority of 84%, though female exposure has risen steadily and is now firmly entrenched. Age distribution highlights a challenge: nearly one-third of inmates are between 18 and 24, reflecting youthful entanglement with the justice system and a pipeline from schools, socioeconomic stress, and trauma into criminal behavior.

Classification within the roster follows strict administrative categories that impact daily operations: administrative segregation, general population, restrictive custody, and juvenile detainer facilities (for pre-trial youth). Each classification guides movement, access to programs, and security protocols. The turnover rate—averaging 5% monthly—demonstrates the fluid nature of incarceration: some inmates serve completed sentences, are transferred between facilities, or return under post-release supervision.

This mobility necessitates real-time updates to maintain safety and operational integrity.

Incarceration Patterns and Offense Types

The offense-based breakdown reveals dominant criminal narratives. Property crimes dominate with 38% of convictions, followed by drug offenses (29%), violent offenses (22%), and public order violations (11%). Notably, fewer than 10% of inmates face serious violent charges such as assault or weapons offenses, a contrast to national averages that often show higher rates of violent recidivism.

This pattern suggests a correctional environment where rehabilitation, mental health support, and restorative justice play expanded roles. Yet, concerns persist about trauma-informed care for inmates with histories of abuse or severe emotional disturbance, with 57% reporting adverse childhood experiences versus just 14% without such backgrounds.

ChArrIsE and Use of Force Incidents

Data from the Clackamas County Inmate Roster also documents operational risks, such as use-of-force reported incidents—17 per 100 nights in 2023—mostly contributing to disruptions rather than fatal outcomes. These figures remain under scrutiny as the county expands de-escalation training and diversion pipelines, aiming to reduce in-custody violence.

Additionally, disciplinary infractions—ranging for minor rule violations to serious misconduct—occur at a rate of 12 per 1,000 inmate-days, highlighting ongoing challenges in behavioral management and staff-inmate dynamics.

The intake process itself, recorded in the roster, underscores systemic complexities: most inmates enter after booking at regional jails, with intake evaluations determining custody levels and medical screenings. Pretrial detainees account for 46% of the population, emphasizing the burden on county jails during processing delays.

Post-admission assessments then guide eligibility for diversion programs—ranging from drug courts to mental health courts—which divert approximately 14% of eligible inmates away from full-term incarceration annually, offering a path toward rehabilitation rather than confinement.

Recidivism and Reentry Pathways

Though the roster reflects current statistics, its deeper value lies in tracking recidivism trends. Data shows that about 43% of released inmates return within three years, a rate slightly below the state average. This projection fuels investment in reentry services, including housing, employment training, and substance use treatment upon release.

Clackamas County’s Reentry Initiative, informed by roster analytics, connects released individuals with apprenticeship programs and transitional housing—efforts that have reduced repeat offenses by 9% over three years.

Behind the roster’s numbers are human lives shaped by lived experience: a 2023 interview with inmate Marcus Jenkins, sentenced to 5 years for possession of fentanyl, revealed a journey from childhood homelessness to illicit drug involvement. “I didn’t see a choice,” Jenkins said.

“The system didn’t help me before—only hurt me. Now I want out, but I need a second chance.” His story echoes the systemic tension processed through the roster: incarceration as a consequence of structural failure, but also as a potential starting point for renewal.

The Clackamas County Inmate Roster is not merely a ledger—it is a mirror held up to Oregon’s justice system, exposing inequities, opportunities, and the urgent need for reform.

As policy debates intensify over decarceration, mental health integration, and crime prevention, this living dataset remains vital. Transparency, accuracy, and accessibility ensure that those stories behind the numbers can drive meaningful change, one clerk’s update at a time. As the facility continues processing new arrivals and updating classifications, its roster endures as both a record and a call to action—reminding stakeholders that behind every inmate number is a person, a history, and a potential future waiting to be shaped by justice, compassion, and insight.