What Oregon Corrections Enterprises (OCE) Is — A Guide for Warner Creek Families

Oregon Corrections Enterprises (OCE) is a semi-independent state agency that operates training programs for adults in custody (AICs) housed within Oregon prisons. OCE was established in 1999 through Ballot Measure 68, and its administrator reports to the Director of the Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) - a detail that helps explain why you’ll often see OCE discussed alongside DOC operations, even though it’s set up as its own organization.

OCE’s stated mission is straightforward: promote public safety by giving AICs meaningful work experience in a self-sustaining organization. For families, the practical takeaway is that OCE is designed to function like a working operation inside the prison system - focused on hands-on experience rather than “busy work.”

OCE operates in partnership with DOC, and it’s also overseen through DOC leadership. Specifically, OCE was created as a semi-independent organization whose administrator reports to the DOC Director. If you ever need to escalate a question or understand who ultimately oversees the program, that reporting line is the key point.

OCE is required by statute to fund itself through sales of its products and services, and it receives no general fund allocations. In plain terms, OCE is set up to pay its own way through what it produces and sells, rather than being supported by the state’s general fund.

Program Types

• ✓ Contact centers
• ✓ Sewing / embroidery / textiles
• ✓ Wood fabrication
• ✓ Upholstery
• ✓ Commercial laundry
• ✓ Printing and mail fulfillment
• ✓ Metal fabrication
• ✓ Graphic design
• ✓ Computer Aided Drafting and Design (CADD)
• ✓ Sign design and fabrication
• ✓ Document scanning
• ✓ Office services
• ✓ General labor and production
• ✓ Logistics

On outcomes, OCE reports a 13% recidivism rate for adults in custody who remain in an OCE training program for at least six months. That figure is specifically tied to people who stay in the program for that minimum period, so it shouldn’t be read as a blanket number for everyone who participates in any way.

OCE also publishes scale numbers that help set expectations about reach. In fiscal year 2020–2021, OCE employed 92 non-AIC staff and averaged 1,426 offenders per month participating in OCE programs, out of a total DOC population of 11,786 as of June 2021. Participation can be significant, but it’s not universal - so whether your loved one can join (and when) still depends on what’s available where they’re housed.

1. Ask what OCE opportunities exist where your loved one is housed - Program availability can vary by location and assignment, so get the facility’s current guidance before you assume a specific OCE job is offered.
2. Contact OCE directly with a clear question - If you’re trying to understand what a program is, how it works, or what to expect, reach out by phone, mail, or by scheduling an appointment at the Salem office.
3. Confirm details locally before making plans - If the question affects day-to-day life (schedule changes, work assignment timing, participation requirements), verify it with the facility, since statewide program info doesn’t always answer unit-level questions.

OCE is a statewide program that runs training and work opportunities inside Oregon prisons, with a mission tied to meaningful work experience. If you’re trying to understand how it could affect your loved one at Warner Creek - whether that’s job options, timelines, or eligibility - start with this overview, then confirm what’s actually available locally.