recruitment success story occurred when Ebeneezer Baptist Church in Northeast OKC hosted a job fair. The church’s efforts resulted in 21 new hires with most of those still being retained months later. Although OCDC offers one of the best benefit packages in the region and competitive pay rates, other correctional organizations and the State Dept. of Corrections have recently increased their pay rates. The Trust Authority is hopeful that a pay raise will occur before
the end of 2022 to further bolster their recruitment chances. Additionally, the Trust Authority offers a quick pay increase structure and generous bonuses. For example, if a current or new employee brings in a new recruit that stays six months, the employee will receive a bonus of more than $1,000. Increased staffing levels are the most certain way to improve the jail’s health and safety standards in the upcoming year and beyond.
LOWER JAIL POPULATION FOR FY22 CONTINUES RECENT, HISTORIC TREND
As the chart shows, the concerning and chronic jail overcrowding of the last two decades has receded to a new trend at or under 1,700 (FY20 count of 1,713 was inflated because of high DOC counts due to COVID.) This new, historic trend works well with the capacity of the new
jail. The good news is that the various pre-trial release and alternative sentencing programs believe they have more capacity. Such expanded capacity signals that future jail detainees won’t have to endure the overcrowding that has plagued the community.
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