OAR 291-117-0140: Disposition of Inmate Property

(1) Disposition of Unauthorized/Excess Property at Intake: (a) Items that are not authorized and considered not dangerous shall be packaged and mailed out at the inmate’s expense. If the inmate lacks sufficient funds to mail out the property, arrangements may be made for the property to be picked up at the facility by a person designated by the inmate. Otherwise, the department shall mail out the property to a person designated by the inmate, and the inmate’s trust account shall be debited. (b) To permit the department to mail out an inmate’s property, the inmate must provide staff with the name and street address of the person designated by the inmate to receive the property. If the property is returned because it is undeliverable, e.g., mail refused or no such address, the department shall make a second attempt to mail out the property if the inmate provides staff with an alternate address. If the property is returned to the facility a second time, the department shall confiscate the property and discard it. (c) The department will not mail out any item(s) considered dangerous or hazardous including, but not limited to, ammunition, knives, lighters, and batteries. Oregon Trail cards will not be mailed out. Oregon Trail cards shall be processed as agreed upon by the department and the Department of Human Services. (d) All items identified for mailing out/disposal shall be noted on the Personal Property and Clothing Inventory List (CD 353-C). The form shall be signed by the staff inventorying the property and the inmate. (e) The form will be kept on file for a period of three years. A copy of the inventory form will accompany the item(s) mailed out. (2) Disposition of Excess Property: (a) Inmate personal property that exceeds the capacity of the facility’s designated storage space shall be considered excess property. Excess property shall be mailed out at the inmate’s expense or discarded. Excess property that is not mailed out or discarded at the direction of inmate shall be considered contraband, and may result in confiscation of the item(s) and/or disciplinary action. (b) Staff shall direct inmates in writing to bring their aggregate property within the capacity of designated storage space. The facility will hold an inmate’s excess property for no more than 45 days following the date of staff’s written order directing the inmate to mail out or dispose of the inmate’s excess property. If after 45 days the inmate has not made arrangements to mail out or dispose of the item(s), the department shall confiscate the property as contraband and discard it. (3) Disposition of Unclaimed Property: Inmate personal property items that the department cannot identify as the property of a specific inmate shall be confiscated and held by the department for no more than 45 days. If after 45 days the property items remain unclaimed, the department shall discard the items. (4) Disposition of Abandoned Property: (a) Upon the Inmate’s Release or Death: Inmate personal property that is left with the department upon an inmate’s release from a department facility or death shall be processed and disposed of as follows: (A) Staff will secure, inventory, and place the inmate’s property in a secure area. (B) Staff will attempt to contact the person(s) on the inmate’s notification record to take possession of the property. If contact is made with the person(s), and if the person decides to claim and take possession of the inmate’s property, the person must make arrangements with the designated staff to pick up the property at the facility or for the property to be mailed to the person. If the person picks up the property at the facility, the person must sign and provide staff with a property receipt before taking possession of the property. If the person makes arrangements to take delivery of the property by mail, the property will be mailed to the person certified mail, return receipt requested. Staff will document the property transfer, and place and maintain the property inventory and signed property receipt (or, in the case of mailing, the certified mail return receipt) in the inmate’s institution file and such other files, if any, that the facility maintains for such records. (C) The department will store the inmate’s property for no more than 45 days following the inmate’s release or death. If after 45 days the property remains unclaimed, the department shall confiscate the property and discard it. (b) Upon the Inmate’s Escape: (A) The department is not responsible for any loss or damage to inmate personal property that is left with the department upon an inmate’s escape from an ODOC confinement or custody. (B) In the event of escape, the inmate’s property shall be confiscated, searched, inventoried and placed in evidence or property room in a secure area. (C) If the inmate is not returned to the custody of the department within 45 days, and the property is not being held for evidence, the department shall discard the property. (c) Voluntary Abandonment: Inmate personal property that is voluntarily abandoned by an inmate during confinement in an ODOC facility shall be disposed of as excess property. (d) Funds held in the inmate’s trust account shall be disposed of in accordance with the department’s rule on Trust Account (Inmate) (OAR 291-158). (e) Books and Shoes: Abandoned books will be stamped as department property and placed in the facility library. Abandoned shoes will be discarded. (5) Disposition of Property Held as Evidence: Inmate personal property items that have been confiscated and held by the department as evidence in a disciplinary investigation shall be returned to the inmate upon conclusion of the investigation and any subsequent disciplinary hearing/case, if the inmate is found not to have violated the rules of prohibited inmate conduct, and the property item(s) is not classified as contraband. (6) Disposition of Certain “Valuable” Property Items: Notwithstanding the dispositional rules set forth above, the department shall hold jewelry, approved religious items, and any other functional inmate property item that cost $75 or more, excluding books and shoes, for a period of no more than two years. If after two years the property remains unclaimed, the department shall confiscate and dispose of the item(s).