Oklahoma DOC considers acquiring new prison facility

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Officials with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections have indicated that they will consider acquiring a new facility to accommodate a growing number of inmates.

The Board of Corrections on Thursday gave permission to Department of Corrections Interim Director Joe M. Allbaugh to begin the process of purchasing or leasing additional space. Allbaugh tells the Tulsa World (http://bit.ly/1VdelXU ) that the options under consideration include two empty private facilities owned by the Corrections Corporation of America.

He says the department needs to proactively solve its population problem. The department is operating at about 120 percent of capacity.

Allbaugh says he's not sure whether the department would have to close existing facilities to pay for the additional beds.

He expects to provide the board with an update within the next 30 days.

Information from: Tulsa World, http://www.tulsaworld.com

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The Gayly - 4/8/2016 @ 11:52 a.m. CST