State gives Department Of Corrections $24 million extra

by: BARBARA HOBEROCK World Capitol Bureau
2/29/2008

The deal also provides $2 million for the Rader Center.

OKLAHOMA CITY — Legislative leaders announced an agreement Thursday on a $24 million supplemental appropriation for the Oklahoma Department of Corrections to help the financially troubled agency finish the fiscal year.

An additional $2 million will go to the Office of Juvenile Affairs, which will spend the money for improvements at the L.E. Rader Center in Sand Springs.

“It is critical that we address the immediate needs of our prison system, and this agreement does that,” Gov. Brad Henry said. “Our goal now is to craft a larger budget that will adequately fund corrections for the entire fiscal year and eliminate the need for annual supplemental appropriations for DOC.”

Department of Corrections Director Justin Jones said the money is needed to deal with growing prisoner numbers.

It will be used to pay for contract beds at private prisons, halfway houses and county jails.

“Yes, it is enough,” Jones said. “We are very appreciative of it.”

The Office of Juvenile Affairs was seeking a $4 million supplemental, said Gene Christian, its director.

The bulk of the money is needed to resolve a lawsuit filed against the Office of Juvenile Affairs by the U.S. Department of Justice involving education, safety, security, mental-health treatment and suicide prevention, he said.

The federal lawsuit stemmed from alleged conditions at the L.E. Rader Center, he said.

Christian said he had been very concerned that the money would not be forthcoming because of the nature of this year’s budget. Officials are predicting that the Legislature will have $114 million less than last year to spend.

“I’m glad they followed through on that,” Christian said. “It is a major step forward for us to be able to handle the lawsuit with the Department of Justice.”
Source: Tulsa World