Wasco County wants oversight panel to run youth jail

THE DALLES, Ore. (AP) – The Wasco County Board of Commissioners is demanding action after a report claims the regional juvenile jail in The Dalles mistreats youth.

The East Oregonian reports commissioners Rod Runyon, Scott Hege and Steve Kramer each signed a letter Wednesday urging the board of directors for the Northern Oregon Regional Correctional Facility to convene an emergency meeting to hand over control of the juvenile detention facility to an oversight committee.

Sarah Radcliffe, attorney for Disability Rights Oregon, created a report based on visits to the juvenile jail and interviews with 23 youth. She found the facility often shut youth in cells for hours at a time, and jail staff disciplined youth as young as 12 for talking while in line or looking anywhere but straight ahead.