Oklahoma Prison System Sees Smaller Increase
The state’s prison system saw the smallest increase in inmate population in recent memory during the past year. Capitol changes in discipline may be making difference. Full story on The Oklahoman.
Justin Jones, OK DOC Director
The system had a net growth of 83 offenders, according to population figures for the fiscal year that ended June 30. Justin Jones, director of the Department of Corrections, reported the numbers to members of the Board of Corrections during their monthly meeting Friday.
The figure also contradicts earlier predictions by the Oklahoma Criminal Justice Resource Center that the state’s inmate population would grow at a rate of about 2.7 percent each year and top out at about 27,000 by 2009.
The state has 25,197 offenders in its prison system. Another 30,460 people are either on probation or paroled, according to Corrections Department figures from Monday. Oklahoma puts more women in jail, per capita, than any other state.
The state ranks third in its per capita rate of putting men behind bars. Jones said the recent drop in inmate population growth can be attributed to changes that provide alternatives for offenders who misbehave or do not meet the all the requirements of their probation.
In the past, inmates would lose credits needed for early release and probationers who violated the terms of release would be sent back to prison.
Jones said new policies provide more steps in the disciplinary process. Alternatives such as allowing probationers to serve time on the weekend or at night when they violate terms of their probation also are helping to stem growth in the number of people behind bars in Oklahoma.
Waiting list in jail
While Oklahoma’s inmate population growth has leveled off, the state houses about 1,585 inmates in county jails across the state. The Corrections Department pays counties a daily rate to house inmates who have been sentenced to prison and are waiting for a bed at a state prison.A new law that took effect July 1 allows officials to send certain inmates who are not in the country legally to federal officials for deportation. The move was expected to open up state beds and save the state about $4 million within the first year.Corrections Department officials have met with federal immigration officials, but so far no state inmate has been transferred to federal custody, said Neville Massie, executive assistant. Massie said 180 Oklahoma inmates are ready to be transferred, but the department still is working out details with federal officials. There are about 230 offenders who are in the country illegally, who have served a third of their sentence for a nonviolent crime — a requirement under the new law.
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