The state's prison siting committee selected the Ontario site in October 1989 for a medium security prison that could house up to 3,000 inmates, which GovernorNeil Goldschmidt approved later in the month.[2][3] SRCI opened in August 1991 with 576 medium and 72 minimum security beds.
Currently, the prison houses 2,336 medium security beds, 154 minimum security beds, and 510 beds in specialized units such as administrative segregation, disciplinary segregation, intensive management, and the infirmary/hospice. It is staffed by approximately 900 employees.[6]
Among the prison industries housed at Snake River are a commercial call center,[7] a metal shop that manufactures road signs for the state, and a building trades program that manufactures small modular structures such as comfort stations and gatehouses for the state parks.
The elevation of the prison is approximately 2,480 feet (755 m) above sea level.
^Carpenter Hale, Sally (October 14, 1989). "It's final: Prison site in Ontario". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. p. 1A. Archived from the original on September 8, 2022. Retrieved September 8, 2022.
^Ellis, Barnes C. (October 14, 1989). "Governor approves Ontario prison site". The Oregonian. p. A1.
This list is incomplete. Snake River Correctional Institution is not in the Ontario city limits. Annex Charter School has an Ontario address but is away from Ontario, in the community of Annex