Rabon Calls For New Correctional Facility In Atoka

Following the release of an independent performance audit of the Department of Corrections, Senator Jeff Rabon on Tuesday again called for the construction of a new, 2,500 inmate correctional facility to be located on 5,200 acres currently occupied by the Howard McCleod Correctional Center in Atoka.

Rabon said the audit confirmed that the Legislature has failed to meet the funding needs of the Department of Corrections and that action must be taken to ease overcrowding and update a crumbling corrections infrastructure. The construction of the facility on 5,200 acres of land already owned by the state, Rabon said, is a practical alternative that eliminates any red tape associated with purchasing additional land.

“The audit confirmed what we already knew, which is that we’ve reached a breaking point where we must address this issue responsibly with a long-term solution to our corrections funding problem,” said Rabon, D-Hugo. “It’s time for the Legislature to stop paying private prisons for bed space and to construct a new facility that will accommodate the number of inmates entering the system. This is a critical public safety concern, and we can no longer afford to watch as our corrections system crumbles due to an unwillingness to invest in improvements.”

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Lerblance: Add 3,818 State Prison Beds

As prison overcrowding continues to plague the Department of Corrections (DOC), State Senator Richard Lerblance (D-Hartshorne) wants to tackle the issue head on by increasing space at Oklahoma prisons by adding approximately 3,818 beds.

“Government’s greatest moral obligation is to ensure the safety and well-being of its citizens, and that includes making certain we are keeping criminals off the streets,” Lerblance said. “It is simply irresponsible to pass laws that will increase Oklahoma’s prison population and then not fund the bed space to hold these criminals.”

Lerblance said he crafted his legislation to reflect the projected growth in Oklahoma prisons over the next several years, using numbers from the Oklahoma Criminal Justice Resource Center.

“These numbers accurately reflect the anticipated growth in Oklahoma prisons and allow the Oklahoma legislature to act responsibly by funding the needs within the Department of Corrections,” Lerblance said. “Creating a safer Oklahoma starts with a responsible approach to public safety policy and that is exactly what this legislation does."

Lerblance explained a $309 million 25-year bond issue would be needed to secure the funding for the additional bed space, with the debt being paid by money appropriated to the Department of Corrections by the Oklahoma Legislature.

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Noted Quote: Prison Crowding Crisis Looms

"We're going to have to close our doors. We're a week away from doing that." ~ Robert Rainey, chairman of the Board of Corrections, pointing out that state prisons are at 98 percent of capacity.

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