NCJ Number
80499
Date Published
1979
Length
31 pages
Annotation
The termination of Dr. Benton as the director of corrections for the State of Oklahoma will serve no useful purpose and resulted from personality conflicts and political maneuvering.
Abstract
The Oklahoma Board of Corrections believes that the serious constitutional rights issues which led to Federal intervention into the Oklahoma prison system resulted from decades of neglect and the failure of the State officials to face their responsibilities without the assistance of the courts. For the past several years, the goal of the board and of Dr. Benton has been to act responsibly to alleviate the burden of the court order issued in the case of Battle v. Anderson. In future proceedings similar to this inquiry the authorizing resolution should provide for a basic level of due process to include specification of the allegations under investigation, and normal rules of evidence, examination, and standards of proof.