MEDFORD, Ore. (Jun. 30, 2026) — The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office announced it will reduce the operational capacity of the Jackson County Jail beginning Tuesday, citing mounting financial pressures that have made it increasingly difficult to sustain current operations.
Effective July 1, the sheriff’s office will close the jail’s basement housing unit, reducing the facility’s operational capacity from approximately 292 beds to 230 beds.
Sheriff’s officials said the decision comes after years of rising costs across nearly every aspect of the agency’s operations, including medical care for inmates, personnel, equipment and other operational expenses.
According to the sheriff’s office, annual jail medical costs alone have doubled in recent years and now exceed $3 million. Officials said those expenses have continued to outpace available funding, leaving the agency with limited options to balance its budget.
The sheriff’s office said it has little ability to generate additional revenue to offset increasing costs and has already eliminated more than 25 full-time positions over the past three years in an effort to reduce spending.
Those staffing reductions have now significantly affected the Corrections Bureau, prompting officials to close part of the jail rather than make deeper cuts to patrol, detective and other public safety services.
“I believe closing a portion of the jail is the least harmful option to our county long term,” the sheriff’s office said in its announcement.
The reduction in available jail beds is expected to affect booking procedures for some offenders. Officials said individuals arrested for lower-level offenses who are subject to immediate mandatory release under Oregon Senate Bill 48 may no longer be lodged at the jail and instead could be cited and released.
The sheriff’s office emphasized that it will continue reviewing its practices to ensure available jail space is used as effectively as possible while maintaining public safety.
Budget projections indicate the reduced jail capacity may remain in place for the foreseeable future.
Despite the operational changes, officials said deputies will continue responding to emergency calls, investigating crimes, protecting lives and working alongside prosecutors and other criminal justice partners to hold offenders accountable.
The sheriff’s office also said it will continue working with the Jackson County Board of Commissioners, county leadership, community stakeholders and public safety partners to pursue long-term funding solutions for the county’s criminal justice system.
Officials said that while the jail’s capacity is shrinking, the agency’s commitment to protecting the residents of Jackson County remains unchanged.
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