Oklahoma Department of Corrections

The Oklahoma Department of Corrections says two of its employees were involved in a shocking traffic accident near Oklahoma City. One man died in the early Sunday morning crash.

The Board of Corrections on Wednesday agreed to a one-year contract with The GEO Group, which operates a Lawton prison.

Oklahoma Department of Corrections Director Steven Harpe on Tuesday told a legislative panel his agency was no longer pursuing an $8.3 million appropriation this session to restart the prison rodeo at Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester.

State leaders have asked the court for 90 days between executions to combat trauma, staffing shortages and reduce the potential for errors.

A Senate panel on Wednesday passed a bill that would provide $8.3 million to restart the prison rodeo in McAlester.

More state employees working remotely has opened up office space in some state agency buildings, allowing agencies to share buildings or sublease.

Officials expect they will likely ask lawmakers for additional appropriations once plans and costs are finalized

County jail officials can charge above the state minimum for housing Department of Corrections inmates, but any costs must be directly related to incarcerating the prisoners, the state Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.

While the corrections department does not suspect the deaths are heat-related, prisoner advocates say the situation highlights a need for universal air conditioning in Oklahoma’s prison system

The spiritual advisor for several of Oklahoma’s death row inmates filed a lawsuit against the Department of Corrections last week.