Oregon Youth Authority says Professional Standards Office backlog largely cleared; agency details system reforms
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Summary
Oregon Youth Authority reported reducing a backlog of roughly 733 age cases to 28 through system changes, monthly reconciled lists and mandatory 60‑day follow‑up; the subcommittee accepted the report and asked for continued reporting on remaining unsigned investigations.
Oregon Youth Authority Director Mike T'essine and newly appointed chief investigator Tim Thrasher told the Joint Interim Committee on Ways and Means — Public Safety subcommittee on Jan. 14 that changes in systems, policy and collaboration with the Oregon State Police and Department of Human Services drove a steep reduction in the Professional Standards Office (PSO) backlog.
T'essine said the PSO reduced the number of age cases from about 733 to 28 through a combination of daily case work, a reconciled case list shared with partner agencies, monthly meetings and a policy that mandates 60‑day follow up. He credited a peer review and staff redeployment, and listed PSO staff and partners who assisted in the effort.
Tim Thrasher, the new chief investigator, said his priorities are building a motivated investigative team, sustaining relationships with external partners and adjusting policy to avoid previous failures. Committee members asked whether PREA (Prison Rape Elimination Act) cases were prioritized; T'essine said PREA‑eligible cases were prioritized and that the office reviews timeliness monthly.
The director acknowledged that another category—"unsigned" investigations where work was completed but not signed off—remains large (he cited approximately 2,800 unsigned investigative documents) and that the agency is planning work to address that list and forecast when it can be cleared.
DAS and LFO recommended acknowledging receipt of the report; a subcommittee motion to do so carried with no objections. Members urged the agency to continue reporting progress, to avoid reliance on individual relationships and to provide clear counts of remaining items, their ages and the resources needed to close them.