Security system at jail crashes By SUSAN HYLTON World Staff Writer 9/30/00

There were no reported incidents linked to the software problem. The security system at the Tulsa Jail went down Friday morning and remained inoperable for three to four hours. During that period, CCA employees had to access all pods in the 1,400-bed facility with keys. Access is normally controlled electronically via computer from a central control room.

"Some things were delayed, but we did video arraignments and our education programs," said Raye Carnes, a CCA spokeswoman.

Carnes said there were no incidents related to software problem.

Carnes said the maintenance department exhausted its means to correct the software problem and ended up on the phone with the manufacturer and installer.

"Within an hour of contacting them, the system was back up," she said.

A debriefing on the situation was scheduled for later in the day to determine the cause of the problem.

Carnes said, to her knowledge, the shutdown only affected the doors in the new facility. The Tulsa County Criminal Justice Authority contracted with Black Creek Integrated Systems to install the electronic security system last year when the jail was being constructed.

County management information systems employees describe the jail's security system as a very elaborate one but said that it does not relate to other county software used the jail.

The jail opened under the operation of Nashville-based CCA in August 1999. The new jail is more than 500,000 square feet and sprawls across 23 acres.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/NewsStory.asp?ID=000930_Ne_a11secur

-- Doris (groomlk@bellsouth.net), September 30, 2000