ODOC builds momentum in public safety, rehabilitation and innovation in 2025
The Oklahoma Department of Corrections continues to make measurable progress in strengthening public safety, supporting its workforce and modernizing facilities across the state.
“Nearly 95% of the people in our custody will one day return to Oklahoma communities,” said ODOC Executive Director Justin Farris. “Everything we do, from staffing and security to programming and infrastructure, is about ensuring that happens in a way that is safe, responsible and focused on long-term success.”
Strengthening staffing and retention
Recruiting and retaining correctional officers remains a nationwide challenge, but ODOC has seen encouraging trends following significant changes to its training model.
Since revamping the Correctional Officer Academy in 2023, the agency has emphasized a paramilitary-style structure, de-escalation tactics and a renewed focus on ODOC’s mission to transform lives through safety, rehabilitation and compassion. The reintroduction of the Field Training Officer program allows new cadets to gain real-world facility experience before entering the academy.
In 2025, ODOC has hired 200 new cadets, with an 82% retention rate, signaling that recent investments in training, mentorship and support are helping employees build long-term careers with the agency.
Ending private prisons
In June, ODOC entered an agreement to purchase the Lawton Correctional and Rehabilitation Facility from The GEO Group, with operations transferring to the agency on July 25, 2025. The $312 million purchase, including the buildings, equipment and surrounding acreage, was approved by the Legislature and represents the final step in ending private prison use in Oklahoma.
Renamed Red Rock Correctional Center, the facility is now the largest in the state’s system, housing more than 2,600 individuals and operating under the same standards, training and rehabilitative focus as other ODOC institutions. Facility staff who met ODOC background requirements were offered positions with the agency to help ensure continuity and a smooth transition.
Empowering people through programs that work
This year, ODOC’s commitment to rehabilitation took bold steps forward. The department’s pioneering prison cosmetology program expanded to include incarcerated men in Oklahoma City and women at the Eddie Warrior Correctional Center in Taft, creating new opportunities for skill development and post-release success.
The beloved Guardian Angels Dog Program returned at Mabel Bassett Correctional Center with support from the Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine, pairing inmates with dogs to foster purpose, companionship and lasting bonds.
In a landmark moment for rehabilitation and education in Oklahoma, more than two dozen incarcerated men celebrated the first graduating class of Oklahoma Baptist University’s Prison Divinity Program. Launched in partnership with the ODOC, the program is the first four-year divinity degree offered inside a U.S. prison, earning Bachelor of Arts degrees in Christian Studies. Graduates now serve as field ministers in correctional facilities across the state, providing pastoral care, mentorship and moral guidance to fellow inmates. The program is fully funded by private donations at no cost to Oklahoma taxpayers.
Education and career training deliver record results
ODOC’s Education Unit achieved exceptional outcomes in 2025, earning an award for exceeding Measurable Skill Gains in student testing – surpassing the 41% goal with an impressive 68% success rate. More than 820 incarcerated individuals participated in college programs statewide, with 121 earning a college degree. Overall, the Education Unit served more than 4,000 students in at least one class this year, while CareerTech programs engaged over 2,200 students, reinforcing ODOC’s commitment to education, workforce readiness and successful reentry.
Supporting families and strengthening connections
Recognizing the importance of family ties in successful reentry, ODOC celebrated the one-year anniversary of its partnership with the Second Chance Act in March 2025, which delivered critical support services to incarcerated parents and their children, nurturing family bonds and breaking intergenerational cycles of incarceration.
To further support connections between those in ODOC’s care and their loved ones, the department launched a dedicated Visitation Unit and an online application system to streamline scheduling and reduce barriers to meaningful visitation.
Looking ahead to 2026
Guided by its strategic framework – centered on honor, integrity, humility, empowerment and excellence – ODOC continues to focus on innovation, safety and rehabilitation with several projects launching in 2026.
- Build and deploy a new Electronic Health Record (EHR) system using a $4.6 million grant, modernizing inmate health documentation and care coordination.
- Continue phased rollout of Fusus technology to facilities statewide, which integrates systems to reduce manual process, improve security, and enhance real-time situational awareness.
- Continue artificial intelligence pilots, advancing from exploration into operational use cases for cell assignments and inmate re-entry plans.
- Launch and expand pilots for perimeter detection, cell phone jamming and drone-detection technology to strengthen facility security.
- Deploy tablets for correctional officers, supporting more efficient operations and communication.
- Establish a partnership with Oklahoma State University–IT to launch a Mobile Telecommunications (Broadband) Certification program at select locations.
- Partner with The Last Mile to establish an Audio-Video Program at Jess Dunn Correctional Center in Taft.
- Expand partnerships with CareerTech, including new programming at Red Rock Correctional Center, a new education building at Northeast Oklahoma Community Corrections Center in Vinita, and groundbreaking for a new building at John Lilley Correctional Center in Boley.
“Our mission is clear,” Director Farris said. “We are building a stronger Oklahoma by transforming lives in a safe, rehabilitative and compassionate environment – and the progress we’re seeing today lays the foundation for an even brighter future and safer communities.”
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