NCJ Number
102268
Journal
Corrections Today Volume: 48 Issue: 6 Dated: (August 1986) Pages: 102,104,106,108,110
Date Published
1986
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article describes the legislation, structure, and results for Oklahoma's house arrest program used to reintegrate inmates into the community 6 months before release.
Abstract
A 1980 Oklahoma bill permitted the extension of confinement limits consistent with the reintegration of an incarcerated offender. The Department of Corrections used this authorization to institute a house arrest program. Over the next 3 years, the program operated with no more than 10 to 20 offenders at a time. These persons were heavily screened and required to check into a host prison at least once a week. A short counseling session, a possible drug-alcohol screening, and spot checks were the extent of the control. An approved job and residence were required. There were no significant failures over the 3 years. The doubling of the Oklahoma prison population from 1980 to 1985 prompted an expansion of the house arrest program to relieve prison overcrowding. Supervisory conditions were expanded to include random field contacts, employer contacts, and random telephone checks. By April 1985, 963 offenders were on house arrest. That month a sex offender on house arrest raped a woman, bringing an immediate challenge to the house arrest program. A 1985 bill placed additional conditions on persons eligible for the program. From October 1984 to October 1985, 2,404 offenders completed house arrest supervision. Less than 2 percent were returned to prison for failure to maintain their job and residence plan, 21 percent for misconduct, 5 percent for new crimes, and 5 percent for absconding. The annual cost per offender is $1,410.