HI Joe,

Before you hear anything else from me, our hearts go out to the families involved in this
tragic event. This was a horrible act of violence & I wish to express my sincere
sympathies.
I am unavailable for an on camera interview but I can address some of your questions.
We take these types of incidents seriously and while I can't speak to the details of the
specific event based on advice of counsel, we are part of a criminal justice system
enforcing the orders of the court and take our responsibility of holding offenders
accountable very seriously.
I will note, Washington County has provided transition services for those serving
custody sanctions since 1976. The Community Corrections Center (CCC) is designed to
promote public safety in partnership with other entities in the criminal justice system,
when offenders are to be released back into our community.
It is one of four minimum-security work release centers in Oregon and has been
nationally recognized as an effective work-release and re-entry program.
In order for offenders to transition from being inmates to contributing, law-abiding
citizens, the Center provides a structured environment that emphasizes services,
support and accountability designed to make positive and lasting behavioral changes.
The services include substance abuse treatment, mental health evaluation and
treatment, employment counseling and job referrals, cognitive skills training, faith-based
support and life-skills programs such as computing and anger management.
Successfully transitioning through the Center is an important component of the Countys
approach, along with the checks and balances provided by our partner agencies in the
criminal justice system, to hold offenders accountable and enhance community safety
by reducing the risk of re-offending. Without the Center, offenders would undertake this
transition with far less support and accountability, in many cases putting them at risk to
re-start the cycle of criminal activity.
The Center is designed and operated with successful re-entry and transition as the
primary focus for offenders that judges and juries have sanctioned with limited-term
sentences. Put simply, the Community Corrections Center is not a jail; instead, the
Center is a venue for offenders being released back to the community to turn their lives
around and re-join lawful society.
Regarding passes for work and transition related activities, It is important to note the
CCC does not issue passes or privileges for offenders who pose a risk of escape or an
imminent threat of harm to individuals or the general public. We return them to jail.

One of the CCC goals is to help offenders transition back into the community with a
support system and other resources in place. Passes are given to allow individuals to
work, conduct personal business, spend time with family, and to develop transitionrelated services such as clean and sober support in the community.
Employment Verification
If an offender enters the CCC employed, they will need to have their employer call-in a
job verification to CCC staff. The verification is a list of information relating to the
offenders position and employment conditions while in the CCC:

Name of the company;

Immediate supervisors name;

Address and phone number of company;

Rate of pay and pay dates;

Work schedule;

Overtime policy;

Absenteeism; and

Change in employment status

Once the job verification is received from an employer, CCC staff are responsible for
confirming employment information prior to permitting the offender out to work.
Verification includes, but not limited to the following:

Is the business license active? Offenders are not permitted to work for a
company that is not properly licensed and insured to do business in the state of Oregon.
Counselors are provided a list of websites for this purpose.

Is the offender on a legal payroll? The offender cannot work under the table
while in the CCC, the employer must take taxes out of the paycheck and provide a pay
stub as proof. In some instances, an offender may be performing work as an
independent contractor. A copy of the contract must be provided to the counselor, and
should at least indicate type of work to be performed, the pay amount, pay rate, and the
time frame for the work.

Once an employment verification has been received, CCC staff will call the
employer to double verify the information given and open the lines of communication
between the CCC and the employer. CCC staff will also make sure the employer is
aware of the overtime policy and the CCC expectation of employers regarding reporting

on the offenders attendance (or lack of attendance), change of status and tardiness. If
an employer is not willing to abide by the employment conditions outlined by the CCC,
the offender is not allowed to work for the employer.

The offender must provide a receipt of all paychecks. CCC staff are expected to
review pay check receipts to confirm compliance with the employment schedule.
Temporary Labor Agencies
Temporary day labor agencies, such as Labor Ready are not first line employment
options. Offenders are encouraged to seek out full-time, stable employment; however
day labor agencies may be utilized if an offender has no funds and needs to get ID or
personal care items.
The CCC only uses temporary labor agencies willing to actively partner with CCC and
comply with CCC policy and procedures.
Failure to return
If an offender is allowed out of the facility and they fail to return to the Center as
scheduled, an alert is activated within the CCC offender tracking and case management
system informing staff they have not returned. All DV and Sex Offenders (SO) within the
CCC are enrolled in the Electronic Monitoring program and if they fail to return, law
enforcement is notified and provided GPS tracking information. On Feb 1, 2016, our
department successfully utilized GPS tracking to quickly locate and apprehend Dustin
Westling, a predatory sex offender who had failed to check in for temporary housing at
the CCC. Westling was not in custody of the CCC, but this serves as a good example of
the technology at work.
If the resident has an identified victim in the community, staff will make every reasonable
effort to contact the victim to inform that person that the resident has not returned to the
Center at the time they were due back. Staff will also call the location of where the
resident was given permission to be while in the community to confirm if they are there
and if not what time they left the location. If the resident has still not returned within the
three-hour time frame, law enforcement is notified and a warrant request is sent to the
Washington County Sheriffs Office Records, to the District Attorneys Office, and to the
Parole/Probation Officer.
In addition, We rely on the VINE system or Victim Information and Notification
Everyday to assist victims who desire notification of an inmates change in status. VINE
is a service of the Oregon Department of Corrections and the Washington County
Sheriff's Office that allows anyone to retrieve information about the status of an inmate
in the Washington County Corrections system via telephone or Internet.

During the last two years the CCC has implemented the following program
changes:
Increased waiting period before eligibility for passes:
The CCC has doubled the intake orientation/blackout period for unemployed offenders
from one week to 14 days (2 weeks).
Enhanced Supervision Strategies for CCC: GPS Monitoring
The CCC is utilizing the departments electronic monitoring program (EM) to provide an
enhanced level of community supervision for offenders convicted of Domestic Violence
(DV) and Sex Crimes, released into the community for treatment, employment, or
transition related activities. All DV and Sex Offenders (SO) within the CCC are enrolled
in the EM program improving accountability through GPS tracking and/or secure
Continuous Alcohol Monitoring (CAM).
The CCC program has evolved over the years in response to the changing community
and offender population under supervision. Today, the practices and procedures
associated work release, passes, and community supervision of Domestic Violence and
Sex offenders have been significantly strengthened. We are always open to suggestions
for improving our services and expect our program will continue to evolve as we
regularly review outcomes and learn from practice and research.
Sincerely, Steve Berger