Gov. Brown commutes sentences of 41 inmates for their wildfire response efforts

By KPTV Staff

    SALEM, Oregon (KPTV) -- Oregon Governor Kate Brown has commuted the sentences of 41 inmates in recognition of their efforts to help fight wildfires in 2020.

The governor's office said many adults in custody, who qualified for participation in a fire crew due to good behavior and having received proper training, fought the wildfires, alongside civilian firefighters, and helped prevent further destruction and loss of life across the state. The Governor said those adults in custody served our state in a time of crisis, and she believes they should be rewarded and acknowledged for their contribution to this historic firefighting response.

The governor requested the Oregon Department of Corrections perform a case-by-case analysis of adults in custody who fought the fires for a possible one-time 12-month conditional commutation of their sentence.

The governor’s office says in order to ensure the safety and security of Oregon communities, DOC’s analysis screened adults in custody to ensure that the individual met the criteria for fire crew participation, as outlined by DOC policy and procedures, for the duration of their deployment to fight the wildfires; had a record of good conduct for the last 12 months; had a suitable housing plan; had their out-of-custody health care needs assessed and adequately addressed; and did not present an unacceptable safety, security, or compliance risk to the community.