In the latest development of Oklahoma's correctional system saga, Rep. Justin Humphrey has stirred the pot with his proposed legislation targeting the state's Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS) and the Department of Corrections (DOC). Humphrey has filed two bills, reportedly in response to the escalating scandals within the agencies. As reported by the Oklahoma House of Representatives, Humphrey's drastic measures aim to abolish ODMHSAS and consolidate it under a rebranded DOC, coining it the 'Department of Corruption.'
Explaining his rationale for such an extreme approach in a statement, Humphrey, who serves as the vice chair of the House Public Safety Committee, pointed to the failure of the ODMHSAS in providing sufficient mental health facilities across the state. As a result, mental health issues have run rampant among inmates in Oklahoma's jails, which have been bombarded with lawsuits and are at risk of losing insurance coverage. These are conditions that, according to Humphrey, are not only inadequately staffed but also fundamentally ill-equipped to manage mental health disabilities.
The consequences of this alleged neglect became evident in an incident earlier this month at the Lawton Correctional and Rehabilitation Facility, where an inmate was reportedly killed. Humphrey, as cited in his comments to the House, suggested that the Department of Corrections intentionally transferred a significant number of mental health inmates to this facility, fully aware that it was unprepared to handle such a high-risk population, potentially instigating a deadly incident.
Scrutiny extends to Oklahoma's dealings with the GEO Group, a private prison enterprise operating both the Lawton and the Great Plains Correctional Facilities. With federal interest in leasing prison space for the detainment of illegal migrants, Humphrey alludes to a ploy by the governor and DOC to force the state into a corner. The representative suspects a strategy to push for the purchase of the Lawton prison, which carries a hefty $314 million price tag and is plagued with structural concerns, having failed to present alternative solutions or to offer bids on a new construction.
Humphrey's sharp questioning of the DOC's plans indicates a deliberate attempt to burden the state with an outdated, expensive facility, especially as the current private prison contract nears its expiration. With only a few months remaining, the DOC must devise a solution to the significant issue, leaving taxpayers to wonder if this acquisition was the ultimate goal from the beginning. Rep. Humphrey's critical stance on the issue highlights the complex intersection of mental health, corrections, and politics within Oklahoma's correctional system.
