Two traumatic events provoked dramatic changes beginning in the early seventies--the Oklahoma State Prison riot and fire of July 1973, and the federal court case Battle v. Anderson and its initial court order of 1974. The riot and fire forced renovation and new construction of prison facilities throughout the system. This study traces physical plant expansion from a system with two main institutions, three satellites, and no community treatment centers; to a system with one maximum security prison, thirteen medium/minimum institutions, and eight community treatment centers. The eleven-year Battle v. Anderson case and its resultant court order of 1974 forced officials to correct alleged inhumane confinement of prisoners in violation of their constitutionally guaranteed civil rights.

The administrations of two governors--David L. Boren and George Nigh--were instrumental in the reform of Oklahoma's prison system. Both were committed to the philosophy of rehabilitation and reform, and placed high priorities on training, educating, and reforming inmates. From a budget of $5 million in 1967, to a budget of $97.5 million in 1983, taxpayers financed the development of a system which brought the Oklahoma prison system out of the dark ages and into the 20th century.

Oklahoma corrections changed more during the 16-year period covered by this study than during the entirety of its 60-year pre-1967 history. The passage of House Bill 566, better known as the Oklahoma Corrections Act of 1967, began the process of centralizing operations and removed corrections from the control of the Stae Board of Public Affairs.