Director Harpe to speak at the American Correctional Association conference
Since taking the job as the Oklahoma Department of Corrections executive director in November 2022, Steven Harpe has spearheaded several initiatives to advance corrections within Oklahoma. The agency’s changes have garnered national attention, so much that the American Correctional Association invited Director Harpe to speak at their winter conference this week. He will highlight a few of the transformative steps he has taken during his first year as director.
Immediately, Director Harpe took a different approach to managing ODOC than previous directors. Having a background in private industry, he moved toward running the agency as a business. He began by engaging the executive team to evaluate areas of improvement within each division to create a two-year strategic plan.
“My executive team and I, through SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis, determined 342 areas that needed improvement. We meet weekly to review our progress in accomplishing those tasks,” said ODOC Executive Director Steven Harpe. “Our priority lies in carrying out the two-year plan to make the Oklahoma Department of Corrections the best corrections agency in the United States; this includes pouring into our employees in numerous ways and listening to feedback from those incarcerated within the State of Oklahoma.”
Another new approach was interacting with employees and inmates on a different level than previous directors. Director Harpe developed positions on his executive staff to help guide his decision-making process. He established the chief people officer position to serve ODOC’s dedicated employees better, and he created the Office of Offender Advocacy to ensure the inmates’ concerns are heard at the highest level. These initiatives provided a renewed focus within the agency on who ODOC serves – the employee and the inmate.
Not long after taking the helm, Director Harpe realized he was missing a significant voice – those in ODOC’s care. While the warden and facility staff have a connection to the inmates housed at their facility, there was no mechanism to gauge or communicate with the inmate population as a whole. He created the first-in-the-nation Office of Offender Advocacy to be the liaison between the inmates and staff on an agencywide level. One initiative to help solve this communication issue was the creation of inmate surveys. All those incarcerated in ODOC had the opportunity to take the anonymous survey on their tablets in November 2023. The results of the surveys will spur deeper conversations with the inmate councils to help effect change within the agency.
In addition to adding the chief people officer, Director Harpe holds monthly video calls where he gives agencywide updates and answers all the tough questions from employees. He also has an “open door” policy so all employees can have the opportunity to speak directly to him about any issues. New training programs and opportunities were implemented to pour into employees and a new continuing education reimbursement incentive was established. This empowers the employees to further their careers within ODOC and law enforcement, feeling more connected to leadership than ever before.
One way the agency supports its employees is through technology advancements. Over the last three years, ODOC has developed and implemented an innovative new record-keeping system. The Inmate and Community Offender Network, or ICON, is a state-of-the-art, cloud-based offender management system that replaces antiquated software and paper-based processes. The program provides more automation, reducing time spent on required tasks and human error. While still in the development phases, ICON will help other law enforcement partners streamline their processes when interacting with ODOC, creating a more cohesive partnership across multiple jurisdictions statewide.
Technology is only one of the many ways ODOC collaborates with its partners. ODOC works closely with the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs; the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services; local, state, tribal and federal law enforcement agencies; district attorneys; CareerTech; and many other stakeholders across Oklahoma and the United States. Each of these partnerships further protects the public and helps returning citizens excel post-incarceration, reducing recidivism.
During his speech at the ACA conference, Director Harpe will showcase how ODOC prioritizes the well-being of its employees and those in its care by proactively identifying areas for enhancement and embracing technology advancements while remaining steadfast in its drive to be a leading corrections agency in the United States. As Director Harpe looks toward the future, he continues to set the bar high for excellence and professionalism by pouring into employees with advanced training opportunities and education incentives, embodying the principles of stewardship and fiscal responsibility, and changing lives by being dedicated to progress within the field of corrections.
