Pubdate: Fri, 17 Sep 1999 Source: Wisconsin State Journal (WI) Contact: http://www.madison.com/ Author: Ron Seely, Wisconsin State Journal 250 MORE INMATES TO GO TO OKLAHOMA PRISON THERE HAS DRAWN COMPLAINTS More Wisconsin prisoners will be moved to a private Oklahoma prison -- the same prison where some state inmates have complained of mistreatment -- after action by the state Legislature's Joint Finance Committee Thursday. The committee approved a request from the state Department of Corrections to move 250 more prisoners to the prison in Sayre, Okla. The North Fork Correctional Facility in Sayre is a private prison run by Corrections Corporation of America and houses only Wisconsin prisoners. With Thursday's action, the population of the prison would increase to 1,440 Wisconsin inmates. Corrections officials said they asked for the change to complete the consolidation of prisoners at Sayre, a move they say makes it easier to transport and monitor out-of-state prisoners. Several finance committee members said they are concerned about the move because of complaints from inmates about treatment. State Rep. Antonio Riley, D-Milwaukee, said he has received numerous phone calls from the families of inmates at Sayre complaining about treatment, including access to health care. In response to Riley's questions, Corrections Secretary Jon Litscher said state prison officials regularly monitor conditions at out-of-state prisons. After the meeting, Corrections spokesman Bill Clausius said the department has dealt with the Sayre complaints. "We've addressed every single complaint that came forward," Clausius said. The addition of 250 would increase the number of Wisconsin prisoners housed in other states to 4,107. Wisconsin prisons, which house 14,896 prisoners, remain overcrowded. In making their request, Wisconsin corrections officials noted that state prisons are operating at 138 percent of their capacity. "We have capacity issues," said Clausius. "We're bursting at the seams again." Several members of the finance committee expressed their displeasure with the continued housing of prisoners out of state. Litscher told committee members that the use of out-of-state prisons is a stopgap measure until overcrowding in Wisconsin prisons can be addressed. "In the long-term view," Litscher said, "we hope to progressively move away from that." - --- MAP posted-by: Derek Rea