STATE'S HIGH RATE OF WOMEN INMATES FOCUS OF STUDY

Oklahoma has more women in prison per capita than any other state.

A special task force trying to find out why met for the first time
Wednesday at the state Capitol.

Members of the task force, which was created by the Legislature, elected
Lt. Gov. Mary Fallin as chairwoman and Sen. Dick Wilkerson, D-Atwood, as
vice chairman.

Members heard from the Oklahoma Criminal Justice Resource Center about why
so many Oklahomans are incarcerated.

They reviewed a report by the Oklahoma Sentencing Commission which
concluded that people charged with drug- and alcohol-related crimes
accounted for nearly half of Oklahoma's criminal convictions in fiscal year
1999.

Possession of a controlled dangerous substance ranked first, while
possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute
ranked second. Driving under the influence ranked third, according to the
report.

Wilkerson said fraud was the fourth most common conviction and burglaries
were fifth.

Wilkerson said the state could treat many of those offenders rather than
send them to prison.

"We all bring our own political biases," Wilkerson said, "but I believe we
can do a better job and not spend as much money.

"People who make the argument that locking up all these people is
responsible for lowering our crime rates are not looking at the statistics."

The group asked for additional information Wednesday, including what
percentage of women in Oklahoma are incarcerated because of a crime they
committed with someone else, such as their husbands.

Wilkerson said the state already knows 60 percent of women inmates have
mental illnesses.

The task force also is interested in how much costs have risen for the
state to imprison women and what alternatives might be available.

The group will make recommendations to the Senate president pro tempore and
the speaker of the House when its work concludes in February.

Besides politicians, the task force includes members from the state's
correctional, mental and human services agencies. Fallin said she believes
the group is capable of doing good work.

"We will look at all the facts, figures and information available," Fallin
said.

Fallin said the group will examine how drug courts might play a role in
reducing the number of women in prison.

The task force will meet again in three weeks at the Capitol.