Senator pushes for prison expansion plan

[Informer]

Senator pushes for prison expansion plan

The $309 million bond would add 3,818 beds to the state's prison system.


OKLAHOMA CITY -- A Hartshorne lawmaker is proposing a $309 million bond issue to build thousands of prison beds.

Sen. Richard Lerblance, D- Hartshorne, said during a Capitol press conference Thursday that he will introduce a measure calling for 3,818 prison beds to be built at eight state-run prisons, including 1,568 maximum-security beds at Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester and 300 medium-security beds at **** Conner Correctional Center in Hominy.

"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," said Lerblance, past chairman of the Oklahoma Sentencing Commission. "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."

But Senate Co-President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee, R-Oklahoma City, said it was too soon to call for building more prison beds.

"It is premature to choose a course of action for the Department of Corrections until the Legislature receives the report of the independent performance audit of prisons at the end of this year," Coffee said.

The proposed 25-year bond issue would cover the cost to build the new beds but does not include operating costs, Lerblance said.

The penitentiary beds will cost nearly $176.3 million. The **** Conner beds will cost about $21.6 million.

In addition, Lerblance's proposal includes 608 minimum-security beds at the Bill Johnson Correctional Center in Alva, about $15 million; 378 medium-security beds at the James Crabtree Correctional Center in Helena, about $21.6 million; 300 medium-security beds at Oklahoma State Reformatory in Granite, about $18.5 million; 300 medium-security and 37 minimum-security beds at Mack Alford Correctional Center in Stringtown, nearly $21.8 million; 27 segre gated housing units with beds at the William S. Key Correctional Center in Fort Supply, nearly $6.2 million; and 200 beds and 100 segregated housing units with beds at the Lexington Assessment and Reception Center, about $16 million.

The legislation reflects projected growth in state prisons for the next several years, Lerblance said.

[Cory]

How about freeing up some money to fill the 20+ spots we need for the folks shipping to Iraq..

Working 2-3 doubles a week is not very fun!