OPEA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                        CONTACT: BUD ELDER

November 30, 2007                                         405-206-4510

OPEA Calls for More Public Prison Beds

As legislative leaders search for increased efficiencies and modernization in state government, the Oklahoma Public Employees Association today repeats its ten-year call for substantial investment in the Oklahoma prison system.

With facilities that are as old as the state itself, and nine prisons over fifty years old, OPEA executive director Sterling Zearley feels that his members working within the walls face daily safety issues.

“Some of these buildings were originally built as schools, mental hospitals and even tuberculosis sanitariums,” said Zearley.  “These facilities are structurally deficient, have high heating costs and, as they were not built as prisons, usually require more staff to keep them secure.”

Those who continually call for government efficiency and modernization should look no further than the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester.

“OSP was built in 1912,” Zearley said.  “And one need only to experience the wind blasting through its corridors to discover just how antiquated the prison is.”

Zearley says that the answer to more bed space, however, does not lie with private prisons.

“As we have seen over and over again all across the country private prisons are a disaster with poorly trained officers and hostile inmates,” he said, “and, as private prison contracts are up the coming year, these corporations will hold the state hostage for appropriations because we have no public beds to counter with.”

OPEA repeats its call as results from an exhaustive audit of the system, funded by the legislature, are immanent.

“Right now our prison system is at 98 percent capacity, with some 1500 inmates awaiting transfer in county and city jails,” he said.  “OPEA is confident that the forthcoming audit will substantiate the claims that we have made for many years that the only answer to the dilemma is to start right now building more up to date facilities for the safety of all Oklahomans.”