prison system

Five more state prisoners have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last two weeks. That's a total of nine prisoners and 19 corrections staff have tested positive since the pandemic began.

The prisoners whose results came back positive were tested prior to either being transferred or released.

After their results came back positive, the Department of Corrections quarantined more than 500 prisoners. A little over half of them were tested and most of those test results were negative. A handful of test results are still pending.

The Oklahoma Department of Corrections said in a statement last week there are some flaws in an analysis that claims eliminating sentence enhancements for nonviolent crimes would reduce the prison population and save the state up to $186 million in 10 years.

Sentence enhancements are a tool that allows courts to increase the maximum range of punishment for defendants who have prior convictions.

Two more state prisoners have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last week. That makes a total of four prisoners and 15 staff who have tested positive for the disease.

The first prisoner who tested positive is scheduled to be released from William S. Key Correctional Center in Fort Supply, Okla. this week. He was tested because it's the Oklahoma Department of Corrections’ policy to test prisoners shortly before they leave the agency’s custody.

Criminal justice reform activists believe a potential ballot question that calls for an end to rules that extend prison sentences for repeat offenders could reduce the state prison population by more than eight percent over time.

New analysis completed by the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, a conservative think tank, suggests the changes in State Question 805 would save the state up to $186 million over 10 years.