Full List Of Private Prisons In The State Of Oklahoma
Oklahoma has nine private facilities, including private prisons. They are: 1.Lawton Correctional Facility
Oklahoma is a South Central state in the US, bordered by Kansas on the North and Texas on the South. It is the 28th most populous state out of the 52 United States, with a population of 4,019,800.
It is also the 20th largest state by area, spread over 181,038 km2. Despite lying between the most and least populous states, Oklahoma has an alarming incarceration rate of 993 per 100,000. The state has 9 private facilities that incarcerate and rehabilitate offenders.
This article brings you the list of private prisons in the state of Oklahoma and more information.
Prison Trends in Oklahoma
34,000 people from Oklahoma are locked up in prisons, jails, and other facilities in the state. Local jails in Oklahoma incarcerate at least 96,000 people every year.
A large fraction of the total prisoners in Oklahoma, around 22,000, are serving their time in state prisons; 9,200 are in local jails, while 2,300 are incarcerated in federal prisons.
350 offenders are in youth facilities, followed by 170 and 10 in involuntary commitment and Indian Country, respectively. 17,000 out of these prisoners are under probation, whereas 1,700 are under parole.
Men Vs. Women
Compared to other states, Oklahoma shows a high imprisonment rate for women. The incarceration rate for women in Oklahoma is 152 per 100,000 women, which is more than most other states. The total female prison population in Oklahoma is 2,995, according to 2015 stats.
Male incarceration rates in Oklahoma are also high, reaching 1,297 per 100,000; it came to 25,119 male prisoners in Oklahoma in 2015.
Race/ Ethnicity
The highest number of incarcerations in the state of Oklahoma is of Black people, reaching 3,796. The statistics follow 1,875 detentions per 100,000 Hispanics and 1,059 for American Indians. Furthermore, White incarcerations come to around 767 per 100,000.
Prison Vs. Jail
The prison and jail incarceration rates have shown a continuous rise since 1978. However, prison incarceration rates are higher than jail imprisonment. Prison incarceration in Oklahoma peaked in 2004 and showed a decline till 2012 when it increased again.
At the same time, jail incarceration trends have increased steadily in the past fifty years, with a sudden increase in 2006. Yet, the numbers started moving downward and have been declining since 2012.
Pretrial Vs. Conviction
The pretrial numbers show a constant increase till 1999, peaking in 2005. However, the numbers fell after 2005 and hit a low in 2013. Meanwhile, jail convictions did not exhibit a decrease until 2013.
The numbers increased continuously throughout the years, with a sudden increase between 1988 and 1993.
List of Private Prisons in the State of Oklahoma
Oklahoma has nine private facilities in the state, including veteran residential programs, halfway houses, and juvenile facilities. Here's a list of the three operational private prisons in Oklahoma:
Lawton Correctional Facility - GEO
The Lawton Correctional Facility, located in Lawton, is one of the three currently operating private prisons in Oklahoma. It opened in 1998 and can accommodate 2,682 inmates.
GEO Group runs this medium-security prison that keeps male inmates over 18. This prison houses both state and federal prisoners.
Administration: GEO Group & Oklahoma Department of Corrections (DOC)
Security: Medium
Capacity: 2,682
Address: 8607 Se Flower Mound Road, Lawton, OK 73501
Davis Correctional Facility - CAA
The Davis Correctional Facility is another private prison in Oklahoma that holds medium-security prisoners. Opened in 1996, Davis correctional facility is also home to maximum security inmates.
CoreCivic operates this prison in Holdenville, Oklahoma, under a contract with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections. It can hold up to 1,600 male inmates.
Administration: CoreCivic & Oklahoma Department of Corrections (DOC)
Security: Medium to maximum
Capacity: 1,600
Address: 6888 E133 Rd, Holdenville, OK 74848
Cimarron Correctional Facility – CCA
Owned by CoreCivic since 1997, the Cimarron Correctional Facility is a medium-security prison for male offenders. It is located in Cushing, Oklahoma, and has a capacity of 1,720 adult male offenders.
The facility comprises medium-level housing units; it also includes a dining area, kitchen, gymnasium, and dental and medical area.
Administration: CoreCivic & Oklahoma Department of Corrections (DOC)
Security: Medium
Capacity: 1,720
Address: 3200 South Kings Highway, Cushing, OK 74023
Closed Private Prisons in Oklahoma
Besides the three operational prisons in Oklahoma, the state has also closed two private prisons.
The Diamondback Correctional Facility was closed in 2010, whereas the Great Plains Correctional Facility was closed in 2021. But it is opening again as a state-run prison.
Diamondback Correctional Facility
The Diamondback Correctional Facility in Watonga, run by CoreCivic, closed in May 2010. This facility can keep 2,160 inmates. It was a medium-security prison that housed male inmates of over 18 years.
However, due to budget constraints, the state had to decide not to renew private facility contracts.
Administration: CoreCivic & Oklahoma Department of Corrections (DOC)
Security: Medium
Capacity: 2,160
Address: Route 2, Box 336, Watonga, OK, 73772
Great Plains Correctional Facility
The Great Plains Correctional Facility is a medium-security prison closed in 2021. But it is opening again soon. This facility has a capacity of 1,940 inmates and is run and operated by GEO Group.
The prison had no prisoners between 2010 and 2014 and was closed when the state phased out private prisons. The OK Department of Corrections took over the facility's management in May 2023 with a property lease. Now, the prison will be state-run.
Administration: Oklahoma Department of Corrections (DOC)
Security: Medium
Capacity: 1,940
Address: 700 Sugar Creek Rd, Hinton, OK 73047
Read Full List Of Private Prisons In The State of Ohio
Other Privately-run Facilities
Other privately-run and administered facilities in the state of Oklahoma include:
- Bridgeway, Inc - Private Halfway House
- Carver Center Veteran Residential Program
- North Fork Correctional Facility – CCA
- Sac & Fox Nation Juvenile
- Turley Residential Center
Private Prison Landscape
Private Prisons have helped the Oklahoma prison system manage the soaring prison population since the 1990s.
Three private correctional facilities opened in Oklahoma in 1998, including Cimarron Correctional Facility in Cushing, Lawton Correctional Facility, and Davis Correctional Facility.
However, considering the security concerns, the Department of Corrections has been looking forward to eliminating private prisons. Oklahoma's prison population has dropped 17.9% in the past few years, and the overall prison capacity has also reduced to 88%.
Several private prisons have been closed nationwide because of safety and budget concerns. Violent situations have also been observed in Oklahoma's private facilities, leading to thoughts about phasing out private prisons.
Read Full List Of Private Prisons In The State Of North Dakota
Final Words
Oklahoma has an alarming incarceration rate of 993 per 100,000. The state uses state, federal, and private prisons, besides county jails, to keep the offenders. Oklahoma has 9 private facilities that incarcerate and rehabilitate offenders.
The list of private prisons in the state of Oklahoma comprises three privately-run facilities currently operational in the state. The GEO Group and CoreCivic operate them under contract with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections (DOC). The Diamondback Correctional Facility, run by CoreCivic, closed in May 2010.
Another private facility, the Great Plains Correctional Facility, was closed in 2021 after being inmate-free between 2010 and 2014. However, the Department of Corrections has decided to open it again as a state-run facility; it will also create employment facilities for locals.