The Oklahoma Department of Corrections (ODOC) is set to own and operate the Lawton Correctional Facility, shifting the state closer to a fully state-run prison system, the department announced recently. In a deal with The GEO Group, ODOC will take the helm at Lawton Correctional Facility starting July 25, closing the chapter on privately operated correctional facilities in Oklahoma. According to the announcement made yesterday, approval from the Oklahoma Board of Corrections is still pending, but once the ink is dry, the state will shoulder full control over operations, staff, and inmate programs.
This isn't the first time ODOC has pulled a facility from private to public oversight. The shift mirrors previous actions such as the transition at Allen Gamble Correctional Center in Holdenville, where existing employees were absorbed into the state's workforce post-conversion. All current staff at Lawton will similarly be given the opportunity to join ODOC, subject to requisite background checks. ODOC Director Steven Harpe optimistically noted in the Oklahoma Department of Corrections statement, “We look forward to bringing our high-quality operations, processes and compassionate environment to the Lawton facility.”
Consolidating the correctional facilities under ODOC's umbrella stands to streamline operational standards and bolster transparency and accountability within the state's penal system. Harpe emphasized the organization's mission to instill a culture of accountability and rehabilitation, aiming for safer communities and the betterment of the staff, inmates, and Oklahoma residents alike.
ODOC's consolidation efforts reflect their strategic goals to modernize and innovate the correctional system with a focus on security and rehabilitative outcomes. With a commitment to transformational practices, Harpe said in the announcement on the Oklahoma Department of Corrections website, "This move not only strengthens our public safety infrastructure but also reflects our commitment to better outcomes for staff, inmates and the people of Oklahoma."
