Keaton Ross of Oklahoma Watch
Keaton Ross is a Report for America corps member who covers prison conditions and criminal justice issues for Oklahoma Watch. Contact him at (405) 831-9753 or [email protected].
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Oklahoma’s $74 million deal to privatize food service in state prisons was canceled because the selected vendor failed to meet nutritional standards. -
Oklahoma lobbyists spent more than $220,000 on food and beverages for lawmakers during the 2025 legislative session. -
The state will pay Florida-based Trinity Food Services about $5 per prisoner, per day through mid-2027. -
Oklahoma’s prison population dropped 2.9% in 2023, according to data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, though progress stagnated in 2024. -
Oklahoma’s parole grant rate increased in 2024 after years of decline, an Oklahoma Watch analysis found. -
Oklahoma State Election Board data shows 37.9% of Oklahoma voters chose the straight-party voting option in the Nov. 5 general election, down from 45.5% in 2020. Voters in southeastern Oklahoma were the most likely to check the option. -
The counties are mostly in rural areas that aren’t allotted as much money from the County Community Safety Investment Fund. -
Shannon Hanchett’s physical and mental health deteriorated rapidly after being booked into the jail, the lawsuit claims, noting that medical staff did not evaluate her for more than 72 hours after arriving at the jail. -
Lawton Correctional and Rehabilitation Facility staff found inmate Raymond Bailey dead in a trash can on Oct. 26, prompting questions of oversight and security at the state’s last remaining private prison. -
The administrative rules change, which must receive final approval from the Legislature to take effect, requires prisoners to serve the lesser of five years in prison or one-third of their sentence to become eligible for commutation.
