NCJ Number
215642
Date Published
July 1999
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This report presents the activities and recommendations of the Female Offender Task Force in Oklahoma for fiscal year 1999.
Abstract
Several areas were reviewed by Oklahoma’s Female Offender Task Force with observations on current status, needed remedy, and proposed action. The areas of focus included: staff training, sexual misconduct and privacy, parity in work and programs, medical and mental health services, classification and custody decisions, contract bed space, and aftercare services. Highlights include: (1) staff training was endorsed by the task force members as one method to address the larger issues that were identified as goals and needs; (2) a specialized training entitled Power, Control, and Sexual Misconduct was provided to management and supervisory staff: (3) the task force discussed and provided suggestions for changes in legislation related to sexual misconduct and privacy issues to incorporate specific language and enhanced penalties for correctional facilities; (4) programs for female offenders are under represented when compared to programs for male offenders--a request for technical assistance for a validated assessment of program parity to the National Institute of Corrections has been submitted; (5) additional medical and psychological services staff have been added at the Mabel Bassett facility, as well as mobile mammography; (6) an examination and evaluation of classification instruments used for female offenders; (7) increased availability of contract beds to meet the needs of female offenders; and (8) in the transition from incarceration to the community, increased access to aftercare services in the areas of substance abuse, parenting, domestic violence, and other services.