The Main Jail facility was constructed in 1979, with new additions completed in 1988 and 1999. The total designed capacity is 507 beds. The facility serves as the intake and release center. The jail houses pretrial offenders, and sentenced offenders that are not appropriate for placement in our less costly alternative custody programs.

In July 2013 due to the passage of a levy for funding jail beds, the Lane County Sheriff’s Office Corrections Division was able to reopen previously closed housing areas.  The levy resulted in fewer capacity based releases from the jail.

Every Adult In Custody (AIC) is classified at entry into the Corrections Division based upon their current charges, past criminal acts, previous institutional behavior and a number of other factors that indicate how the individual will function while in custody. Based on this classification a new AIC will be housed in either a single cell, or dormitory type setting.

Each day all AIC's receive three nutritionally balanced meals, have access to showers and telephones, and may purchase commissary items. They receive clean clothes and bedding twice a week. Depending on their individual classification, AIC's may have daily access to television and/or weekly access to outside recreation. The Corrections Division provides medical, dental, and psychiatric care to inmates who are in need of those services.

There are several programs available to AIC's while in custody. Programs are offered in the Lane County Jail for one or more of the following purposes: they are statutorily mandated, designed to reduce recidivism and help AIC's cope with being in custody. All qualified AIC's may participate in various programs which include GED, alcohol and drug use education, and religious services.