Building A Religious Based Prison

By Rusty Surette, NEWS 9

WILSON, Oklahoma -- The landscape of southern Oklahoma may soon by changing as a man plans to build several prisons in small cities.

Bill Robinson's plan for prison inmates would incorporate religion as part of their rehabilitation and prison term.

Learn more about Robinson's plan.

After two decades of planning, Robinson and the Dallas-based non-profit Corrections Concepts looked to Oklahoma as a possible site for the prison development.

The prison would be the first faith-based prison and under Robinson's plan, the facility would hire only Christians. The inmates who agree to transfer to the facility would be obligated to enroll in faith-based classes.

Read the Inmate Participation Agreement.

While Robinson thinks his prison could help people, many continue to disagree with the concept.

"The driving thing is what we call NIMBYs," Robinson said. "Don't really have a reason, don't want to look at the economic development, don't look at the $4.5 million payroll, 153 jobs."

While the town of Madill, Oklahoma passed on the purposed idea, Robinson said he'll continue his search for a place to build his new prison.

Robinson said he's talked with people in Wilson and Tishomingo about the possibility of building the religious-based prison.