Prison Break 2009

[aoidfydsh]

Prison Break 2009 rallies for new paradigms

Like a cake with a hidden file, Prison Break 2009 is a sweet treat with a serious purpose.

Michael Murray and Morgan Clayton have decided the Oklahoma prison system needs an overhaul. The enterprising duo supports rehabilitation rather than incarceration for non-violent drug and alcohol offenses.

The two organizers of the three-day music festival Prison Break 2009 want to highlight the incarceration issue, raise funds for a children’s mentoring program and have fun. The event will take place May 22-24 at the Washita Hideaway Campgrounds in Davis.

According to Murray, in the first five days after event tickets were posted online for purchase, 500 tickets were sold. He expects a crowd of 5,000, he said.

Oklahoma is currently fourth in the nation for the incarceration of men and first for women per-capita for non-violent drug and alcohol offenses, Murray said. At about 65 percent, he added, the state is first in the world for the incarceration of women with children under the age of 18.

“To me, when you look at the statistics and how things have worked, you also have to consider we are a prison-for-profit state,” he said, adding that four or five counties across the state are currently building new prison facilities.

Murray and Morgan draw interesting parallels about prison, foster care and taxpayer expense.

“Based on how overcrowded Oklahoma prisons are, it’s clear we keep throwing people on top of a bad situation. I want tax dollars to go to better use,” said Murray.

He also wants Prison Break 2009 to draw awareness to the drug court system. Payne County was the first to have a drug court in the Oklahoma court system, he said, but as of 2007, there were 39 drug courts covering 59 counties. According to a 2007 overview from the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, there are 3,873 active participants in Oklahoma drug courts.

According to the ODMHSAS update, drug court programs have directly slowed the expansion of the prison population. Drug court offenders are 76.5 percent less likely to re-offend, whereas 54.3 percent of inmates were likely to be arrested again. Drug court participants boast higher improved employment, income and high school diploma rates than other types of inmates.

The update also highlighted a 20.5 percent increase in the number of children living with their parents as a result of drug court programs.

When Murray’s future mother-in-law Catherine Godwin shared with him non-violent drug offender statistics, he said, “it really got me thinking, and Catherine was like a pitbull who wouldn’t let go. Too many people talk and don’t do anything about an issue. I would love to see the youth of the state come out and take a stand. There are children left behind in foster care because of non-violent drug offenses.”

“I was overwhelmed with all the statistics and thought to myself, ‘Oh my God,’” Godwin said. “The prison system is bursting at the seems and foster care is overburdened. What scares me the most about the statistics is the impact they are going to have on young folks.”

According to the ODMHSAS, the average annual cost to house an inmate is about $16,000. However, the average annual cost for a drug court participant is $5,000.

Murray said he is working with Leslie Fitzhugh from the Oklahoma Department of Corrections to create a mentoring program for children affected by parents who are absent because of drug convictions. Fitzhugh was unavailable at time of press. He would like to start a mentorship program for kids whose parents are incarcerated for non-violent drug offenses, he explained.

“I would love to see 5,000 people come out to raise enough money where we can give to the Department of Corrections funds for a mentorship program,” he said. “I would love for there to be a change to system. More rehab, less incarceration.”