OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Justin Humphrey, R-Lane, today called for an independent investigation of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections to address his claims of an increase in violent assaults against inmates and staff. Humphrey chairs the House Criminal Justice and Corrections Committee.

"The Department of Corrections within the past year has seen an increase in violence against inmates and staff," Humphrey said. "Stabbings, assaults and rapes appear to have become a near daily occurrence. I am receiving multiple reports, like an inmate being tied up for approximately 12 hours and raped repeatedly. Another report is of inmates entering an employee’s office and repeatedly stabbing an inmate in front of that employee.

"The reports of inmates or employees being attacked, beaten or stabbed have been overwhelming. The most recent attack was a video of an inmate attack at the Dick Conner Correctional Center shown on an Oklahoma City television station.

"It is my understanding that inmates videoed this attack and sent the video to the station director and the assaulted inmate's family members.

"I'm left asking how this can happen. When inmates become so bold that they will video their assault and mail that video to the family and director of a news station, then Oklahoma has lost control of its prison system.

"If this report is true, it clearly demonstrates the administration’s catastrophic failure. The Department of Corrections cannot be trusted to investigate themselves. It is time Oklahomans demand a proper investigation into the numerous reports and allegations involving our Department of Corrections."

Humphrey said this is just the latest of bad news he's received about the department.

In his three years as chair of the Oklahoma House Criminal Justice and Corrections Committee, he said he's been instrumental in exposing a massive staff shortage as well as money that was obscured in the department's budget. He's also investigated whistleblower claims of the department covering up rapes and other crimes.

"Staff shortages and coverups place those within our prison system – both staff and inmates – in tremendous danger," he said.

Humphrey said his reporting of the staff shortage revealed the department had been overpaid by at least $43 million, which was initially concealed within the department's budget. Because of the revelation, he said he and others were able to ensure the $43 million went to pay for staff raises – all without the need to increase taxes or state appropriations.

"This does not appear to be the total amount of funding being obscured, however," Humphrey said.

"Oklahoma has closed prisons and has reduced the inmate population by approximately 6,000. Common sense would suggest significant savings. At the same time, the staff shortage has been reoccurring for years. Based on my calculations, the Department of Corrections should have undisclosed millions."

Humphrey said he also reported a whistleblower’s claim that the department was covering up rapes. Despite two court opinions that agreed the whistleblower was wrongfully terminated, he said, and his own investigation before House Criminal Justice and Corrections Committee, he said the Department of Corrections and the state's attorney general have yet to take actions to reinstate the whistleblower or to investigate the rapes.

Humphrey also said he learned that inmates were being held in two-by-two-foot cells for days while reportedly being denied food, water and bathroom facilities. He said he received documentation that inmates were treated this inhumane way as a form of punishment. Despite very clear documentation, he said the Department of Corrections claims it was done to move inmates from cells and that inmates were not held in the small spaces for more than three days.

"If proven the department treated inmates in this manner and that the department intentionally ignored rapes, then unquestionably this would constitute civil rights and human rights violations," he said.

Humphrey plans to ask any investigators to also examine whether executive employees were wrongfully fired and replaced with inexperienced associates of the director. He also wants an examination of the director's training, experience and education to ensure it is commensurate with corrections work and that it warrants a $90,000 raise he said the current director recently received.

"It is my understanding this would bring the director’s pay to approximately $275,000 per year. I understand $275,000 is nearly equivalent to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice director who I believe has a nearly $4 billion larger budget, has tens of thousands more inmates and has decades of correctional experience, training and education," Humphrey said.

On a final note, Humphrey said he received recent reports that the Department of Corrections found an extra $8 million in its budget, which it used to provide Christmas bonuses for employees.

"However, without notice, the department changed their evaluation process and many employees who had received good evaluations for years were told they did not meet standards and were denied the bonus," Humphrey said. "This seems extremely scandalous when you consider the qualifications of the director and the fact that he received a $90,000 raise this year."