Oklahoma Inmates May Have Access to Your Personal Information

By Dave Jordan, NEWS 9

LEXINGTON, Oklahoma – A work program may be giving inmates access to sensitive information like social security numbers, names and addresses. One lawmaker is passionate about putting a stop to it.

Oklahoma is one of eight states that allows inmates to process personal information through data entry. Convicts at the Joseph Harp Correctional Center in Lexington spend several hours typing in the detailed information from state agencies such as the Oklahoma Real Estate Commission and the Employment Securities Commission. It's a practice that's been going on for years, and Oklahoma Department of Corrections spokesman Jerry Massie said there's no cause for alarm.

"They may see a name, but they won't see an address and they won't see a social security number. So they're only dealing with one piece of the whole data set and there's no way for them to connect that," aid Massie.

The DOC spokesman went on to say the inmates are monitored through video surveillance and the DOC uses an online program to prevent convicts from stealing your identity. So far, it's proven effective.

"We've not had an incident of any inmate utilizing that information inappropriately," Massie said.

But Representative David Derby said there are other jobs inmates can do to pay their debt to society.

"Picking up trash, building roads, things of that nature…not handling sensitive information about social security, birth dates," said Rep. David Derby.

Derby isn't convinced that this program is immune to identity theft.

"It is just too easy to find information on people today on the Internet. It just takes a couple of clicks of a mouse and we got issues," said Rep. Derby.

Derby wants to meet with a DOC official next week. He is also considering writing a bill to stop the state from using inmates for data entry.