HB3082: Lock, stock, and no warning: State officials want the right to walk into any cell, any time

Summary

Oklahoma State Representative Justin Humphrey has introduced HB3082, a bill that would permit any state elected official to enter and inspect state prisons without prior notice to the Department of Corrections, reflecting a push for increased accountability following reports of inhumane conditions at the Great Plains Correctional Facility.

Abstract

HB3082, introduced by Representative Justin Humphrey, aims to enhance prison accountability in Oklahoma by allowing state elected officials unrestricted access to state prisons. This proposed legislation comes in response to incidents such as the confinement of prisoners in small shower stalls for extended periods at the Great Plains Correctional Facility. The Department of Corrections currently maintains an open-door policy for elected officials, yet the bill seeks to formalize this access without the need for advance notification. If enacted, the law would take effect on November 1, 2024, enabling officials to conduct spontaneous inspections and interviews with staff and inmates to ensure the well-being and proper management of the prisons. The Department of Corrections would be required to facilitate these visits while ensuring the safety and security of all parties involved.

Opinions

Representative Justin Humphrey, chair of the House Criminal Justice and Corrections Committee, believes in the necessity of boosting prison accountability, as evidenced by his introduction of HB3082.
The corrections department spokesperson, Kay Thompson, suggests that the bill may be redundant, given the existing open

Watching the watchers

One of the newer bills being introduced by Justin Humphrey, R-Lane, is HB3082, which would allow any state elected official to enter any state prison at any time to inspect conditions and interview staff and inmates.

Humphrey, who chairs the House Criminal Justice and Corrections Committee, told Oklahoma Watch in November he would look to boost prison accountability in response to reports of poor conditions at the Great Plains Correctional Facility in Hinton.

An incident happened last year at Great Plains in which dozens of prisoners were confined to 3-by-2.5-foot shower stalls for several hours or days due to backlogs in the facility’s restricted housing unit.

Is this bill needed?

Corrections department spokesperson Kay Thompson spoke in response to the proposal and said the agency has an open door policy with elected officials, so this new law isn’t really needed.

If passed, this law would become effective on November 1, 2024. Starting on November 1, 2024, all elected state officials in Oklahoma can visit any prison run by the Department of Corrections without telling the Department beforehand.

They can do this to make sure everything is going okay and to check on how the prisons are run.

If they want to talk to any of the prisoners, the Department has to let them. The Department also has to make sure these visits are safe and secure for everyone involved.

************************************

➡️Would you like to write for NewsBreak, too?

No sign up fee to start writing. No monthly fee ever for writing.

For more information, click here.