From staff reports The Oklahoma Department of Corrections recently announced a significant reduction in inmate-on-inmate assaults with serious injury, reflecting the success of ongoing efforts to enhance safety and security.
Key reforms, including strategic population management, stricter enforcement policies, and enhanced technology, have significantly decreased the incidence of violence, the agency claims.
Between fiscal years 2023 and 2024, the DOC implemented several initiatives leading to reductions, including: • A 15% decrease in incidents in October 2023.
• A 21% reduction in November 2023.
• A 45% drop in March 2024.
• A 52% decrease in May 2024.
Collectively, that was an overall decrease of 14% in violent incidents, the DOC reported.
The trend has continued into Fiscal Year 2025, the agency announced.
• July saw a 12% reduction in incidents.
• August witnessed a 38% decline over FY23 and a 24% improvement over FY22’s numbers.
• September recorded a 30% improvement.
Overall, that constituted a 28% reduction in the first quarter of FY25, the DOC said.
“We are proud of the significant strides we’ve made in enhancing safety across our facilities,” said Steven Harpe, DOC executive director. “These results reflect our team’s commitment to excellence, strategic population management practices, and enforcing stricter sanctions under our updated Class X misconduct policy. Together, these efforts have fostered safer environments for both inmates and staff.”
Updating the Class X misconduct policy has played a pivotal role in driving this positive change, Harpe said. “By imposing tougher penalties on the most dangerous behaviors, DOC has strengthened accountability and contributed to the overall reduction in violence.”
DOC operations staff continuously monitors violence trends and adapts strategies to ensure the safety of those in its care. One facility that has shown vast improvement is the Great Plains Correctional Center in Hinton. Leadership, population and operational changes have resulted in significant declines in incident numbers there.
• July incidents declined 33% from FY24 to FY25.
• August saw a 58% reduction.
• September incidents dropped by 33%.
Overall, then, first-quarter totals dropped by 44%.
While the reform measures are still in the early stages, adding body-worn cameras has enhanced the safety of inmates and staff working in correctional facilities statewide while adding transparency into the agency’s operations, Harpe said.
During the monthslong pilot program, Oklahoma State Penitentiary at McAlester and Howard McLeod Correctional Center at Atoka collectively realized a 40% reduction in serious incidents. This trend is expected to continue across all facilities statewide, Harpe said.
As of Oct. 28, DOC ledgers showed 17,360 inmates incarcerated at penal institutions; that number included 175 in court and 23 in hospitals. In addition, 1,347 convicts were in community corrections centers and 2,377 were confined in the GEO private prison near Lawton.