The Pardon and Parole Board may only consider medical parole if the Department of Corrections director requests it. Pending legislation could change that.

The post Attorney General: Only the DOC Director Can Refer Prisoners For Medical Parole appeared first on Oklahoma Watch.

Following a pandemic-era decline, the state’s prison population has ticked up every year since 2023.

The post Oklahoma’s Prison Population Climbed in 2025 appeared first on Oklahoma Watch.

Thanks to an Oct. 28 FCC ruling, incarcerated Oklahomans and their family members will continue to pay about double the 6-cent-per-minute rate that was in effect for most of 2025.

The post Reduced Oklahoma Prison Phone Call Rates Aren’t Coming Back appeared first on Oklahoma Watch.

A June 30 FCC order cleared the way for phone call rates, and commission payments to the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, to increase.

The post With Little Notice, Oklahoma Prison Phone Call Rates More Than Double appeared first on Oklahoma Watch.

Aramark, a competing bidder, successfully challenged the Department of Corrections’ $74 million deal with the Trinity Services Group.

The post Oklahoma’s Prison Food Service Contract Voided appeared first on Oklahoma Watch.

Rising prison health care costs are prompting corrections officials to rethink everything from medication distribution to appointment scheduling.

The post Aging Prison Population Strains Corrections Budget appeared first on Oklahoma Watch.

Oklahoma law says anyone who has ever scored 76 or higher on an IQ test is competent to die for their crime. Science says otherwise.

The post Competent to Die: State’s Arbitrary IQ Rule Defies Scientific Recommendation appeared first on Oklahoma Watch.

In the three years prior to expansion, 30 medical paroles were granted in Oklahoma; since 2021, there have been only six.

The post The State Expanded Medical Parole Four Years Ago, but the Number of Medical Paroles Has Plummeted appeared first on Oklahoma Watch.

About 28% of state prisoners received a favorable recommendation in 2024, up more than 4% from 2023.

The post Parole Rate on the Rise appeared first on Oklahoma Watch.

The Great Plains Correctional Facility reopened in May 2023, but the private company that manages the facility has refused to pay the town nearly $1 million in outstanding prisoner per diems.

The post Hinton Reopened its Prison, But It’s Not Paying Off appeared first on Oklahoma Watch.