Inspector Says OK County Jails Improving, But …
Oklahoma State jail inspector Don Garrison remembers a time not long ago when meetings with county commissioners statewide filled his daily calendar.
He coaxed, cajoled and, when all else failed, ordered county officials to replace antiquated and overcrowded jails with new facilities to meet state and federal regulations. Garrison’s calendar is no longer full. His battles are few and far between. “It’s different,” said Garrison, who began his work in January 1997. “I don’t have as many county commissioners to meet now. I no longer have to go over and over and over the push for new jails.”
Since 1997, 38 of Oklahoma’s 77 counties have built new jails or annexes or undergone extensive remodeling. Only seven holdout counties remain in violation of government codes. Caddo, Canadian, Cleveland, Delaware, Kay, Seminole, Washington and Washita county jails are currently operating in violation of state and federal codes for one reason or another.
Delaware County offers a prime example of the importance of building the right facility on the first try. In 2000, Delaware County unveiled a new courthouse and jail — a jail Garrison predicted would be too small to house its prison population.Garrison was right. County officials are now scrambling to build a new jail. On Jan. 13, voters defeated a half-cent sales tax to finance the construction of an $11 million, 228-bed jail. If money is not secured soon, the county could face up to $10,000 in fines a day for being in violation of a state Health Department order.
In Washington County, officials are mired in a lawsuit over land designated for a new jail. The 5.4-acre lot cost the county $187,000, but needed to be rezoned. The city council initially voted down the rezoning, only to approve the change at a later vote … In the meantime, jail administrator Gordon Brown said the county is spending $6,000 to $10,000 a month housing its prisoners in other jails.
Accreditation, OK Caddo County, OK Canadian County, OK Cleveland County, OK Delaware County, OK Kay County, OK Seminole County, OK Washington County, OK Washita County, Oklahoma, Overcrowding, Prison and Jail Construction