Joseph Harp Correctional Center

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Joseph Harp Correctional Center (JHCC)
Joseph Harp Correctional Center is located in Oklahoma
Joseph Harp Correctional Center
Location in Oklahoma
Coordinates35°01′52″N 97°12′10″W / 35.03102°N 97.20269°W / 35.03102; -97.20269
StatusOperational
Security classMedium
Capacity1,378[1]
Population1,372 (as of April 10, 2017[1])
Opened1978; 46 years ago (1978)
Managed byOklahoma Department of Corrections
WardenLuke Pettigrew[2]
Street address16161 Moffat Rd.
CityLexington, Oklahoma
ZIP Code73051-0548
CountryUSA

Joseph Harp Correctional Center (JHCC) is an Oklahoma Department of Corrections state prison for male inmates located in Lexington, Cleveland County, Oklahoma. The medium-security facility opened in September 1978 and with a capacity of 1045 inmates is the largest medium-security prison in the state.[3]

JHCC was named for Joseph Harp. who served as warden of the Oklahoma State Reformatory from 1949 to 1969. Regarded by his colleagues as an innovative leader and professional in the field of corrections, he recognized that a high school education was one of the greatest needs that many inmates had lacked which could prevent them from gaining legal employment and often times led to a life of crime.[clarification needed] Under Harp's leadership, Oklahoma State Reformatory was one of the first correctional institutions to establish a fully-accredited high school inside prison walls.[4]

According to JHCC, 84 percent of its inmates are incarcerated for committing a violent crime, and ten percent have committed first-degree murder. Inmates typically work in the Oklahoma Correctional Industries program, manufacturing furniture or performing data entry to convert old paper records to digital documents.[5]

The center offers adult education programs and encourages inmates to earn a GED while serving their sentences. Offenders sentenced as youths for short periods typically arrive under the delayed sentence program. If the youth does well, he may qualify for release with a suspended sentence, if he does not do well, he will be formally sentenced.[5]

Notable Inmates[edit]

  • Jonathan Scott Graham[6] - Murdered Gary Dale Larson and raped his wife Janet in Edmond, Oklahoma on August 16, 1986. He was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences.[7] Story was told on season 13, episode 11 of Forensic Files on trutv.[8][circular reference]
  • Robert Bever murdered his parents and 3 siblings with the help of his brother in July 22, 2015 he was sentenced to six consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole.
  • Gordon Todd Skinner - a drug dealer who was convicted for kidnapping

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Oklahoma Department of Corrections (10 April 2017). "Incarcerated Inmates and Community Supervision Offenders Daily Count Sheet" (PDF). Oklahoma Department of Corrections: 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 April 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2017. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. ^ "Joseph Harp Correctional Center | Oklahoma Department of Corrections". Doc.ok.gov. Retrieved 2020-05-17.
  3. ^ Oklahoma Department of Corrections (19 April 2017). "Joseph Harp Correctional Center". Oklahoma Department of Corrections. p. 1. Archived from the original on 23 March 2017. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
  4. ^ "INPM Home." International Prison Ministries. Undated. Accessed October 3, 2019.
  5. ^ a b "Joseph Harp Correctional Center." Accessed October 2, 2019.
  6. ^ https://okoffender.doc.ok.gov
  7. ^ https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2005/01/06/murderer-gets-life-in-edmond-cold-case/61959645007/
  8. ^ Forensic Files (season 13)