CITY (AP) — Oklahoma lawmakers are discussing an increased use of private prisons and computer technology as ways to grapple with Oklahoma's continually growing prison population.
State prison officials testified Wednesday before members of the House Criminal Justice and Corrections Committee that Oklahoma's prison population is expected to grow by about 800 inmates by the end of June. Department of Corrections legislative liaison Marilyn Davidson says there currently are more than 28,000 inmates behind the walls of Oklahoma prisons, and state facilities are at about 112 percent of capacity.
Representative Harold Wright of Weatherford asked prison officials why they weren't housing inmates at two separate private prison facilities, including one in his district, that are currently empty.
Davidson says the agency doesn't have the funding to enter into a new private prison contract.