President Obama Caps Oklahoma Visit With Historic Tour Of El Reno Prison

People lined the streets from Oklahoma City to El Reno to catch a glimpse of the presidential motorcade, and to catch a glimpse of history.

This is the first time a sitting president has ever visited a federal prison.

Security was at a premium as the presidential motorcade made its way onto the prison grounds. Both local and state law enforcement was part of the long procession, and also helped the Secret Service block the roads from those wanting to catch a glimpse of the President.

One of them was Sara Bana from Oklahoma City. She is a cofounder of the Ending Violence Everywhere Coalition and is glad the President is shining a spotlight on prison reform.

“Oklahoma is ranked first for the incarceration of women and third for the incarceration of males. And as a case manager, I see the devastation of families, of children, whose lives are destroyed because they have a parent missing from the house,” said Bana.

“I think if we focus on our criminal justice system, we can solve a lot of these problems we have with crimes especially those that are drug related.”

The President got an up close and personal look at cell block B, number 123 which normally holds three inmates because of prison overcrowding. It was a chance for the President to see what life is really like for the 1,300 inmates who are incarcerated here at the medium security facility in El Reno.

According to the White House Press Corps., all the regular inmates who are housed in Cell Block B were moved elsewhere during the visit - and the prison made a number of other security precautions.

7/16/2015 Related Story: Obama Tours El Reno Federal Prison, Speaks To Inmates, Officials

“The U.S. accounts for 5-percent of the world’s population. We account for 25-percent of the world’s inmates,” said President Obama from inside the prison walls.

The President listened to the stories of six non-violent drug offenders and how they ended up in federal prison system. It was part of a documentary shoot for the HBO show VICE.

“These are young people who made mistakes that aren't that different than the mistakes I made, and a lot of you guys made,” said President Obama. “The difference is that they did not have the kind of support structures, the second chances, the resources that would have them survive those mistakes.”

The President also said that society must reconsider how to approach young people who are at risk, and prevent them from getting caught up in drug crimes by giving them more opportunities to succeed and change. That way it can hopefully prevent them from going back behind bars, and turning to more violent crimes as a result.

“We have to reconsider whether 20 or 30 year, life sentences for non-violent crimes is the best way for us to solve these problems,” said President Obama.

The President also talked about how the nation’s growing prison population is causing a financial drain on the country. He said he was hopeful Democrats and Republicans alike could agree on supporting criminal justice reform.

The President was also briefed by his national security staff on the deadly mass shooting in Chattanooga, Tennessee during his visit, but he did not cut his visit short.