Benton County will receive a no-cost expert assessment of its criminal justice and corrections systems next week with consultants scheduled to arrive June 16 for a three-day site visit funded through the National Institute of Corrections.
Justice planner Alan Richardson and architect Roger Lichtman will tour the county jail and the new courthouse and emergency operations center site, interview dozens of public safety stakeholders and review work done over the past decade to address community needs.
Their findings will be presented at a special Benton County Board of Commissioners meeting at 1 p.m. June 18, at the Kalapuya Building, 4500 SW Research Way in Corvallis. The meeting is open to the public with a virtual attendance option available through the commissioners meeting portal. No public comment will be taken.
County Administrator Rick Crager said the consultants would build on previous planning work as the county prepares for significant changes to its justice system infrastructure.
“Alan and Roger will bring fresh eyes and new perspectives to help us build on the extensive work that was already done as we move forward,” Crager said. “They can look objectively at Benton County and identify opportunities and potential pitfalls as we prepare to open the new courthouse and consider the next steps for the safety and justice site.”
Sheriff Jef Van Arsdall said he hoped the outside perspective would surface approaches that local agencies hadn’t considered.
“Benton County is in a unique position, and an East Coast vs. West Coast perspective can highlight different approaches to justice systems and facility planning,” Van Arsdall said. “I’m looking forward to hearing our local partners’ thoughts during this visit and learning how their experience can help inform the work ahead for our community.”
Benton County applied for the NIC technical assistance funding in 2024. The federal program was suspended shortly after the application was approved, but funding was reinstated this spring, allowing the county to begin preliminary discussions with the consultants.
The presentation will include an overview of NIC’s New Jail Planning Initiative, a high-level assessment, identified roadblocks and potential pitfalls, and an outline of recommended next steps if the county were to pursue construction of a new correctional facility. The consultants will not advocate for or against building a new jail.
County officials emphasized that Benton County is not preparing a bond measure for a new correctional facility. The assessment is intended to update an understanding of the county’s needs since a comprehensive justice system review was last conducted in 2018.
The county’s next major milestone comes in spring 2027, when a new courthouse and emergency operations center are scheduled to open about a mile north of downtown Corvallis. County officials say the new facility will give courts and the District Attorney’s Office adequate space to meet community needs for the first time in decades, and could allow for a fourth Circuit Court judge, reducing case delays and wait times.
The transition also creates new logistical challenges for the jail. Currently, the jail sits adjacent to the existing courthouse, with adults in custody transported through a basement tunnel to court proceedings. Once court operations move to the new building, sheriff’s staff will face increased transportation demands. About half of the county’s adults in custody are already held in Polk and Clatsop counties through a jail bed rental program, with deputies spending significant time on transport.
The current courthouse at NW Fourth Street, built in 1888, is the oldest operating courthouse building in the state. A request for proposals was released this week for a Courthouse Reuse Alternatives and Community Input Study to explore future uses for the historic building. County officials noted that the jail’s adjacent location will likely limit some of the alternatives under consideration.
Benton County holds the lowest per capita jail capacity statewide.
Richardson is the founder and president of Justice Planners, the firm that manages and delivers NIC’s technical assistance programs. He previously worked as a correctional officer, transition team leader and detention bureau commander before joining NIC’s staff, where he served as a correctional program specialist and technical assistance manager for the jails division. He has developed training programs and key resource documents for local detention professionals, including the Staffing Analysis Workbook for Jails and the Resource Manual for Transition to a New Jail.
Lichtman brings more than 40 years of experience in justice architecture, including 23 years with his own firm, The Lichtman Associates, P.C., based in Princeton, N.J. He has worked on justice design projects globally and has taught for the National Institute of Corrections for more than 30 years.