Oklahoma pays private prisons record $92.7M to house inmates

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Officials say the Oklahoma Corrections Department has paid a record $92.7 million to a pair of out-of-state private prison companies for one year of housing Oklahoma inmates.

The Oklahoman reports that Oklahoma has spent about $975 million on contracts with the two for-profit corrections enterprises since 2004. The companies operate in Oklahoma, but are based in Tennessee and Florida.

The agency says the record high expense this past year was necessary to deal with the state's persistent overcrowding problem. The department's Interim Director Joe Allbaugh says Oklahoma's prison system is operating at 122-percent capacity.

The two companies have received about $55 million so far this fiscal year, which ends June 30. The agency's recent spending trends indicate that the number will continue to increase.

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Information from: The Oklahoman, http://www.newsok.com

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.

The Gayly- 3/28/2016 @ 2:13 PM CST