Oregon Administrative Rules
Chapter 291 - DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Division 104 - CLASSIFICATION (INMATE)
Section 291-104-0116 - Initial Classification

(1) The Department of Corrections shall assign inmates an initial custody level in accordance with the Custody Classification Guide (Attachment 1) or the inmate's Violence Predictor Score, whichever is higher. An inmate will generally be assigned an initial custody classification level within 30 days of admission to the physical custody of the Department of Corrections.

(2) The Violence Predictor Score is used as a classification scoring element only during the first twelve months of an inmate's incarceration in the Department of Corrections, and may be applied at the discretion of a Department of Corrections counselor after a thorough review of an inmate's records.

(3) Upon admission to the physical custody of the Department of Corrections, the inmate's assigned counselor will determine an inmate's initial custody level and forward the classification action to the functional unit manager or designee for approval.

(4) No classification action is official until the functional unit manager or designee approves the classification action.

(5) Final approval for any override of one step will be made by Intake or institution staff and shall be documented on the classification override comment screen, describing the override reason.

(6) A custody classification override of more than a single step is not official until approved by the designated institution committee and the Classification Manager or designee.

(7) A custody classification of Level 5 is not official until approved by the designated institution committee, the SPM Committee and the High Risk Placement Manager or designee.

(8) An inmate may request a copy of his/her official classification action.

(9) All official classification actions are historically recorded and maintained in the CIS system.

(10) The Office of Population Management may modify any classification. In such cases, the affected facility will be notified of the reason(s) for the modification.