The Oklahoma County Detention Center failed an unannounced state health inspection in May. A new report from the Criminal Justice Advisory Council (CJAC) found the facility remains short on staff and money despite $4.66 million in funding approved in March, as KOKH FOX 25 reported.
The CJAC annual report, published Sept. 9, said the Oklahoma State Department of Health deemed the jail "not in substantial compliance" with multiple standards after an unannounced inspection on Tuesday, May 5. Inspectors cited deficiencies in staffing, inmate safety, sanitation, food service, maintenance and medical reporting.
The Oklahoma County Budget Board approved $4.66 million in March to help bridge the jail's funding gap. That money was not enough to prevent budget cuts and the cancellation of contracts at the facility, the report found.
The report said the facility's expectations are not matched by its funding and that stable county government support would improve institutional stability.
CJAC Executive Director Melissa Walton said reforms across the justice system are needed, "but ongoing challenges at the detention center seem to demand a disproportionate amount of attention."
Newly trained detention officers are filling existing vacancies rather than expanding the jail's capacity, the report said. The facility held roughly 1,600 inmates as of Aug. 28, according to Jail Administrator Tim Kimrey, as reported by News9. Three deaths occurred at the jail in 2026, News9 reported.
Pretrial detention and diversion
The CJAC report highlighted a broader problem: as many as 80% of people held in the jail have not been convicted of a crime and are awaiting trial. The council said Oklahoma County's bail schedule assigns a dollar amount to each charge without weighing individual circumstances. A person's finances rather than actual risk determine who stays locked up.
About one-quarter of all jail admissions stem from low-level municipal and traffic violations, the report said.
The Vera Institute of Justice identified six areas for improvement, including preventing jail for low-level offenses, using evidence-based pretrial decisions, creating alternatives for people with mental health needs and ending fine-based incarceration.
Some diversion efforts are showing results. The Misdemeanor Diversion Program has redirected 690 cases from traditional prosecution and connected more than 200 participants to treatment and case management. The Public Safety Assessment, a risk-evaluation tool launched in Oklahoma County courts on July 1, 2025 by The Education and Employment Ministry, has produced an 84% court appearance rate and a 90% arrest-free rate among participants.
Sales tax proposal and federal grant
County commissioners approved a proposal on Aug. 12 to ask voters to approve a sales tax to help pay for a new jail and its ongoing operations, KOKH FOX 25 reported.
Separately, the Oklahoma County Criminal Justice Authority approved an application for up to $4 million in U.S. Department of Justice grant funding at its June 8 meeting. The grant would cover technology, equipment, training and recruitment. No local matching funds are required. The authority also approved a housing agreement to send Oklahoma County inmates to the Grady County detention center.
The CJAC said it plans to track new metrics, including the time between booking and a first court appearance, to identify further areas for improvement.
