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| Okla. Legislators To Get Look At Prison Conditions |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 07/15/2003 |
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Oklahoma lawmakers will be touring state prisons in the next two weeks to get an understanding of security concerns that prison workers say are caused by budget cuts. Gary Jones, executive director of the Oklahoma Public Employees Association, said the tours will give legislators a firsthand look at 'the crisis within our prisons' caused by low staffing levels. The first tour is scheduled for Wednesday at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary at McAlester. Other tours are set Thursday at the Joseph Harp Correctional Center in Lexington, July 22 at the Mabel Bassett Correctional Center in McLoud, July 23 at the Oklahoma State Reformatory in Granite and July 24 at the Lexington Assessment and Reception Center in Lexington. Dean Balmer, OPEA government relations coordinator, said 30 lawmakers have agreed to take part in the tours and hear the concerns of prison workers. Eight legislators have said they will be at the OSP in McAlester, Balmer said. Jones said the Department of Corrections is drastically understaffed and will need additional funding to make it through the fiscal year that began July 1. 'These legislators will not only have an opportunity to see the crisis within our prisons, but they will also be given a chance to speak with DOC employees who put their lives in danger every day,' Jones said. He said the only solutions to the prison funding dilemma 'are a special session or the use of the emergency federal aid being sent to Oklahoma.' Last week, Oklahoma received $58 million in federal funds, representing about half of the money Congress earmarked for emergency state projects as part of President Bush's tax package. Gov. Brad Henry has said the money should be saved because it will be needed to ease budget problems the Legislature will face next February. Henry has suggested lawmakers could address the DOC funding issue in an emergency appropriations next year. The DOC received $21 million less than what agency officials said was necessary to meet prison population demands this year. |
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