TULSA, Okla. (AP) — An architectural study of the state's correctional facilities shows 17 percent of the buildings that house Oklahoma inmates need major renovations or should be demolished.

The preliminary architectural and engineering study of the buildings that make up the state's 17 prisons, obtained by the Tulsa World, says 10 percent of the buildings need major repairs to at least two-thirds of the building systems. Another 7 percent need a major overhaul or should be demolished, according to the study.

State Rep. Randy Terrill, chairman of the House budget committee that funds state prisons, said the study found "no surprises."

"I think the report mostly confirms what we suspected," said Terrill, R-Moore. "Department of Corrections facilities are not in the best or absolute worst of shape."

The initial facility assessment ranked the 402 buildings at the state's prisons on a scale of one to four.
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A one ranking meant a building was new or minimal repairs were needed, while a four meant a building needed major renovation, replacement or to be torn down.

Terrill said 17 percent of the buildings earned a three or four rating, while more than 80 percent ranked one or two.

He said the final report will be a compass for lawmakers as they decide how to proceed.

Options include making minimal repairs, tearing down buildings, adding public beds to existing facilities, building a new, state-owned facility or contracting with private prisons for more beds, Terrill said.

Senate Democrats are concerned that inmates could be pushed into private prisons when state facilities are capable of doing the job, said Senate Minority Leader Charlie Laster, D-Shawnee.

"Our concern is that there may be a desire on behalf of (Senate Republican) leadership to close some state facilities in favor of private prisons," said Laster, who has not seen the report.

Senate President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee, R-Oklahoma City, declined to comment, saying through a spokesman that the preliminary report is incomplete.

Department of Corrections Director Justin Jones declined to comment.

Oklahoma currently has 4,324 inmates in private prisons, which is about 19 percent of the population, said Renee Watkins, DOC's administrator of private prisons and jails. The six private prisons in Oklahoma have 2,510 empty beds, Watkins said.