Fewer Oklahoma inmates are being placed on state-supervised probation, parole

“If anything, it saves us money,” he said.

Parolees are fewer

The number of inmates being supervised by parole officers following release from prison also has dropped steadily since 2006.

In January 2006, there were 4,421 parolees under state supervision. That number is now 3,046.

“I think the board has just gotten more conservative,” Massie said. “In 2005, there were like 1,500 or so people released on parole. In 2010, there were like half of that.”

Massie said an electronic monitoring program, which was expanded in recent months, may contribute to further decreases in the number of parolees.

“The GPS (monitoring) program was moving along at 300 to 400 people a year, but they expanded the criteria on that last November so now there's about 700 people on it,” Massie said. “It could also be more 85-percent crimes or just less people coming up for parole. It's hard to say.”

CONTRIBUTING:

Staff Writer Jaclyn Cosgrove