Oklahoma’s maximum security prison known as “Big Mac” might be downgraded to medium security.
Corrections Director Joe Allbaugh told the House Public Safety Committee the state penitentiary at McAlester’s decrepit physical plant and technology aren't up to snuff.
"We're running out of time when we're going to have a serious incident at McAlester," Allbaugh said.
This week’s count puts the more than 100-year-old prison's maximum security population at 764. Hundreds of maximum security inmates could be moved to the privately owned North Fork Correctional Facility in Sayre.
"The three outside units at North Fork were built as maximum security units, and it's as state-of-the-art as it should be," Allbaugh said.
The 48 death row inmates and those Allbaugh refers to as "max-max" prisoners would be able to stay at McAlester. H unit, where they are housed, is much newer than the rest of the penitentiary.
"That building was built in 1991 and is in really good shape for its age. I cannot say that for the rest of the physical plant," Allbaugh said.
