By Barbara Hoberock
Tulsa World
OKLAHOMA CITY– Corrections officials on Thursday said they welcome an audit requested by Gov. Mary Fallin.
Fallin’s office said the request for the audit of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections is standard following the announcement of a change in leadership at an agency.
Department of Corrections Director Justin Jones announced last month that he would be resigning as head of the agency.
A three-member committee of the Board of Corrections has been appointed to find his replacement. It will seek input from Fallin’s office and state lawmakers, said Kevin Gross, Board of Corrections chairman.
Fallin is seeking an investigatory, operational and performance audit of the agency to be done by State Auditor and Inspector Gary Jones.
“We have nothing to hide,” said Linda Neal, a corrections board member. “We feel very comfortable with the way the agency is run. I have no concern, absolutely none, that anything will be uncovered.”
The agency is to pay for the audit.
“I find it interesting they want to do this and make us pay when they know we do not have enough money to implement programs that will rehabilitate and make inmates productive citizens,” Neal said. “That makes no sense to me.”
Fallin also asked the state auditor to review the findings of a 2007 audit of the agency ordered by lawmakers and determine whether the agency “implemented any of the changes,” according to her letter to Jones.
“The Legislature completely ignored the audit,” said Sean Wallace, Oklahoma Corrections Professionals executive director.
The audit cost $844,000 and was requested by lawmakers. Its findings were released in 2008. It recommended more beds and personnel, among other things.
It recommended abolishing the Board of Corrections, which governs the DOC, or limiting it to an advisory role, adding that the governor should appoint the DOC director.
Alex Weintz, a Fallin spokesman, said the governor’s office is not seeking to have fingers pointed regarding what items have and have not been implemented. But Fallin’s office wants to see which recommendations are still relevant and to get a fresh perspective on how to move forward, Weintz said.
“It has been collecting dust at most of the offices in the Capitol,” Neal said.
“The MGT audit was a great report card for the dedicated employees of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections,” said Jones, the outgoing corrections director. “It demonstrated and applauded our efficiencies and effectiveness which was even more magnified considering our steady increase in inmates and our many legislative mandates and restrictions. “The department implemented all MGT recommendations that id not require legislation. Recommendation requiring legislative action did not materialize.”
If the auditor’s report supports recommendations in the 2007 audit, whether or not those items would get funded are part of a larger conversation with legislative leaders, Weintz said.
“The department has provided MGT audit updates to House and Senate committees each year they were requested,” Director Jones said.
Auditor Jones said the audit could start in a month and might take up to six months. He did not know how much it would cost.