OKLAHOMA of Women...General Equivalency Diploma) 16 Oklahoma Department of Corrections Women Offenders as Mothers •367 women were surveyed • 313 (85.3%) had at least one child

OKLAHOMA Department of Corrections

May 16, 2018

Oklahoma Prison Population ProjectionsCrime and Justice Institute

2

28,58030,137 30,919 31,364 31,889 32,838 33,782 34,438 34,978 35,457 35,798

28,580 29,608 28,760

27,676 26,786 26,457 26,329 26,266 26,273 26,405 26,490

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

40,000

Jan-16 Jan-17 Jan-18 Jan-19 Jan-20 Jan-21 Jan-22 Jan-23 Jan-24 Jan-25 Jan-26

Baseline With Task Force Recommendations

¼ of this growth is projected

to be driven by increases in

the female prison population,

which is expected to grow by

60% in the next 10 years.

Oklahoma Department of Corrections

U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics 2016 Incarceration Rates- Females

149

57

107

92 90

68 6655

Oklahoma (1st) National Average Missouri (5th) Texas (9th) Arkansas (10th) Colorado (20th) New Mexico(21st)

Kansas (26th)

Rate Per 100,000

Oklahoma Department of Corrections3

Female Incarceration Rates 1996-2016

• Oklahoma has the highest female incarceration rate in the nation, more than twice as high as the average and growing.

4Source: BJS, U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Prisoners Series


115122

138

131 129 129 132 130 127

142 149

47

5153 54 57 60 61 59 56 58 57

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016

Oklahoma State Average

Controlling Offenses FY 2017 Receptions

5 Oklahoma Department of Corrections

Violent Offenses, 23014%

Non Violent, 1,40886%

Drug Offenses, 1,00161%

Other Offenses,

63739%

Oklahoma Women Offenders

• At the end of Fiscal Year (FY) 2017, 2,947* women were imprisoned in the State of Oklahoma

• In FY 2017, 1,638 women were received into the Department of Corrections and 1,372* women completed their sentences and were released

• At the end of Fiscal Year 2017, the recidivism rate for females released in Fiscal Year 2014 and returning within 3 years was 14.4%


* Does not include female GPS/EMP offenders

Female Releases by type FY 2017

45

943

369

1,357

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

1,600

Parole Probation To Street Grand Total


Critical Issues

• History of Trauma and Violence

• History of Substance Abuse and Addiction

• Mental Health Issues

• Medical Issues

• Economic Marginalization and Poverty

• Women Offenders as Mothers


Family Dysfunction and Instability

• 367 female offenders were surveyed:• 62.4% (N=229) reported someone in home with drinking problem

• 53.4 % (N=196) reported someone in home with drug problem

• 44.7% (N=164) reported mental illness in the home

• 69.2% (N=254) reported divorced parents

• 32.4% (N=119) reported one or both parents incarcerated

• 54.8% (N=201) reported running away from home before age 18

9

Source: Oklahoma Study of Incarcerated Mothers and Their Children, September 17, 2014; Susan F. Sharp, Ph.D., Melissa Jones, MA, David McLeod, Ph.D.

and the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth.


Trauma and Violence

• In Childhood

• Child Physical and/or Sexual Abuse (69.8%)

• Father Violent (46.0%)

• Mother Violent (25.9%)

• In Adulthood

• Domestic Violence (66.2%)

• Rape After Age 18 (45.5%)


Source: Oklahoma Study of Incarcerated Mothers and Their Children, September 17, 2014; Susan F. Sharp, Ph.D., Melissa Jones, MA, David McLeod,

Ph.D. and the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth

Substance Abuse and Addiction

• Upon reception, approximately two-thirds of female offenders received are assessed with a moderate to high need for substance abuse treatment


Mental Health and Medical Issues

• 87.7% of incarcerated women in the State of Oklahoma have a history of or are currently being treated for mental illnesses such as:

• Post Trauma Stress Disorder and other anxiety disorders

• Major mood disorders (depression/bipolar disorders)

• Psychotic disorders


Mental Health Levels End of FY 2017


A, 580

B, 1537

C1, 419

C2, 53

D, 9

O, 366

Chronic Clinic End of FY 2017

Chronic Illness Number of Inmates %

Hypertension 517 17.54%

Asthma 475 16.12%

Cardiovascular 373 12.66%

Hepatitis C 265 8.99%

Diabetes 181 6.14%

Seizure 157 5.33%

COPD 80 2.71%

HIV/AIDS 10 0.34%

Cancer 3 0.10%

Total Chronic Clinic Enrollments 2,061

Inmates In One or More Chronic Clinics 1,299 44.08%


Pregnant Inmates

• 58 in 2017

• 33 deliveries in 2017

• 7 discharged prior to delivering

• 5 delivered in 2018

• 13 still pregnant


*photo courtesy of prisonabolition.org

Economic Marginalization and Poverty

• For Women Entering DOC in FY 2013

• 95.5% were unemployed at the time of arrest

• 62.7% reported reliance on social assistance at the time of arrest

• 74.6% had a need for education (e.g., Literacy, Adult Basic Education, General Equivalency Diploma)


Women Offenders as Mothers

• 367 women were surveyed

• 313 (85.3%) had at least one child

• Among them, these 313 women had 818 children

• 74.3% (608) of these children were under age 18

• Extrapolated

• 2,947 incarcerated women have at least one child

• Among them, these 2,514 women have 6,570 children

• 4,882 of these children are under age 18

17

Source: Oklahoma Study of Incarcerated Mothers and Their Children, September 17, 2014; Susan F. Sharp, Ph.D., Melissa Jones, MA, David McLeod, Ph.D. and the

Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth.


Where Are The Children Now?

• Maternal Grandmother (32.6%)

• Other Parent (26.4%)

• Mother’s Sibling (11.9%)

• Foster Care (9.6%)

• Partner’s Mother (4.6%)

• Other Relatives of Mother (4.4%)

• Friend (4.1%)


Source: Oklahoma Study of Incarcerated Mothers and Their Children, September 17, 2014; Susan F. Sharp, Ph.D., Melissa Jones, MA, David McLeod, Ph.D. and the


Problems Experienced by Children of Incarcerated Mothers


Source: Oklahoma Children of Incarcerated Parents, 2016 Legislative report; Susan F. Sharp, Ph.D., Melissa Jones, MA, David McLeod, Ph.D. and the


ProblemBefore Mom’s

Incarceration

After Mom’s

Incarceration

Both Before and

AfterTotal %

Depression 17 90 42 149 43.3%

Bad Grades 29 56 35 120 34.9%

Trouble with Guardian 21 49 24 94 27.3%

Expelled 14 33 17 64 18.6%

Drug Problem 18 19 21 58 16.9%

Arrested 18 19 14 51 14.8%

Ran Away 10 27 11 48 14.0%

Dropped Out 18 18 -- 36 10.5%

Suicidal 9 14 4 27 7.8%

*344 children represented

Release and Reentry

• The following are reentry needs (and the needs most women have when they enter the system):

• Transitional Income

• Employment

• Safe and Affordable Housing

• Childcare

• Transportation

• Medical Care

• Mental Health Care

• Substance Abuse Treatment

• Community Support


Opportunities to Intervene

• Prevention of Child Abuse

• Early Intervention and Treatment

• Expanded mental health, substance abuse and trauma treatment

• Intervention & Diversion Programs

• Female Diversion

• Community Sentencing

• ReMerge of Oklahoma County

• Women in Recovery

• In Prison Treatment and Programming

• Reentry Services


Documents

OKLAHOMA of Women...General Equivalency Diploma) 16 Oklahoma Department of Corrections Women Offenders as Mothers •367 women were surveyed • 313 (85.3%) had at least one child