Governor Fallin Directs DOC To Earned Credit Policy

Gov. Mary Fallin issued a memo Monday directing the Department of Corrections (DOC) to change their policy to allow thousands of violent offenders to be released months earlier. 

Members of the governor's staff say it would save millions of dollars and help ease overcrowding issues.

The change would affect the most violent prisoners who have to serve at least 85% of their sentence. Currently, prisoners can't start earning good time credit until they reach that 85% threshold. But this change would allow them to start earning good time from the beginning of their sentence.

After Debra Reed was killed by Chandler Kardaras, who was driving drunk, Kardaras, convicted of her second DUI, was sentenced to 25 years in prison and mandated she serve 85% of that. Under the governor's directive she could be earning good time immediately.  

“It does not sit well with me to hear that the governor wants to go in and just say here’s what we’re going to do as a solution to attempt reducing the prison population,” said Reed’s daughter Melanie Berry. 

“For me to say yes, on day one when she goes in…let’s start reducing her time from day one? No. She needs to go in there, she needs to soak in the surroundings and truly get why she’s there.”

But in the memo the governor says the current policy “does not correctly reflect the law of Oklahoma” The governor’s chief council says the change would affect about 6,000 inmates and save about $2.3 million in the first 18 months.

And the association that represents prison guards says this would make it safer for them.

“The main way we keep these guys well behaved in prison is by giving credits and taking credits away,” said Sean Wallace, the Director of Oklahoma Corrections Professionals. “When a third of the population can’t participate in that system at all it causes a problem.”

But Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater says, "These offenders will re-offend" because many of them will be let out of prison without supervision. 

Currently the pardon and parole board mandates certain conditions if they allow an inmate out early. 

"If this is a cost saving measure, at what cost?" Prater asks.

The Oklahoma District Attorney’s council however supports the policy. 

The legislature considered this proposal for the past two sessions, but it didn't pass.