James Howard, an inmate at Snake River Correctional Institution, works in the woodworking room in the prison’s physical plant facility. (The Enterprise/Joe Siess)
ONTARIO – At Snake River, inmates have a chance to vie for jobs in the prison’s physical plant to develop valued skills for the workforce after they are freed.
Snake River, the largest prison in Oregon, sits on 103 fenced acres and houses more than 3,000 inmates.
John Ovendale, who is from California, ran night clubs in Las Vegas before being convicted of sex crimes and beginning his sentence at Snake River in October of 2010. He currently works in the parts room doing inventory. (The Enterprise/Joe Siess)
Josh Naval, an inmate serving time for sex crimes, has been in the welding program for about 10 months. (The Enterprise/Joe Siess)
An inmate at Snake River Correctional Institution works in the woodworking room at the facility’s physical plant. (The Enterprise/Joe Siess)
Brad Looney, an inmate serving a sentence for sex crimes who has been working at the physical plant for two years, was busy making wooden Christmas ornaments in the facility’s woodworking room. (The Enterprise/Joe Siess)
Scott Graue, an inmate serving time for sex crimes, was hard at work in the parts room. (The Enterprise/Joe Siess)
Our story: Inmates at Ontario prison train for workforce, better future on the outside
News tip? Contact reporter Joe Siess: [email protected] or 541-473-3377.
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