Deer Ridge Correctional Institution is east of Madras.

Nearly 800 inmates in the state prison near Madras were moved this week from the minimum-security facility to the medium security facility.

The move at Deer Ridge Correctional Institution comes as an October forecast about the number of prisoners statewide showed that more men’s beds are needed in the state’s prisons, according to a news release from the Oregon Department of Corrections. The medium security part of Deer Ridge has more beds and will operate as minimum security housing. The prison is 4 miles east of Madras.

The facility for minimum security inmates at Deer Ridge won’t have prisoners for now, but will be used for programs and the Oregon Corrections Enterprises, which provides jobs for prisoners.