LEXINGTON, Okla. (AP) — The outgoing head of Oklahoma's prison system is warning board members that the rise in the number of inmates is expected to continue causing problems for corrections officials.
Justin Jones made the comments Friday during a meeting of the Board of Corrections at a state prison in Lexington.
Jones announced his retirement earlier this week after highly publicized clashes with the governor's office and legislative leaders over the agency's finances and the growing use of private prisons to house state inmates.
Despite a rise in the number of inmates and growing medical costs, the governor and legislative leaders did not give the agency a budget increase for the fiscal year that begins July 1.
Oklahoma has seen an increase of 641 inmates from the same time last year.
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