Oregon is a Decentralized State: Delinquency services are organized at both the state and local levels in Oregon. County juvenile departments in each of Oregon's 36 counties administer secure detention, intake screening, and most probation supervision services.

How is detention organized? 

County juvenile departments operate 15 detention facilities in Oregon. County funds cover the costs of detention. Counties may form partnerships in order to fund and maintain detention services.

A county juvenile department may refer a youth to an authorized diversion program if the youth is eligible. As per ORS Chapter 419C.230, a formal accountability agreement is a voluntary contract between a youth and a juvenile department that may require the youth to participate in activities such as counseling, community service, drug or alcohol education or treatment, vocational training, or paying restitution.

Crime Victims United (CVU) was founded in 1982 to promote the rights and welfare of crime victims. The balanced justice philosophy of CVU brought about a change within Oregon's criminal justice system that resulted in a recognition of and response to the needs of victims of crime.

Most juvenile offenders placed on probation are supervised by juvenile counselors or probation officers working in county juvenile probation departments. Many county juvenile departments use the terms juvenile counselors or probation officers interchangeably.

Professional certification of juvenile counselors is available through the Oregon Juvenile Department Directors' Association. However, certification is not a requirement for employment. The Oregon Juvenile Corrections Training Academy (OJCTA) provides training.

The court may place the juvenile in the legal custody of the Oregon Youth Authority (OYA) or (as authorized in subsection 3 of ORS 419C.478) the Department of Human Services (DHS) for care, placement, and supervision.

The Oregon Youth Authority (OYA) has paroling authority and can authorize that a juvenile offender be paroled from a youth correctional facility. The court can also terminate a youth's commitment to OYA.

The Oregon Youth Authority (OYA) manages aftercare, referred to as "parole," for youth committed to its custody who are returning to the community from a youth correctional facility. OYA Parole/Probation officers are assigned when a youth is committed to OYA.

Oregon’s purpose clause reflects Balanced and Restorative Justice (BARJ) philosophies.  The BARJ movement advocates that juvenile courts give balanced attention to three primary interests: public safety, individual accountability to the victims and community, and the development in offenders of those skills necessary to live law-abiding and productive lives.

Lower Age: None specified

Upper Age: 17

Extended Age of Delinquency Jurisdiction: 24

Counties may use a screening tool to make detention decisions at both intake and preliminary hearings. An example of an intake screening tool used in Oregon is the Risk Assessment Instrument (RAI). The RAI determines uses a point system to assess youths’ risk of re-offending and/or failing to appear for a hearing. The RAI is also used in determining detention decisions at both intake and preliminary hearings.