Diamondback Correctional Facility
Route 2, Box 336
Watonga, OK 7
580-614-2000
Fax: 580-614-2020
Facility Public Information Officer: Sandy Clark (580-614-2000, ext. 2227; Sandy.Clark@correctionscorp.com)
Facility Type: Male, Medium-security, Owned since 1998
Warden: Lane Blair
Lane Blair was named warden at CCA's Diamondback Correctional Facility in 2004. Blair has served as warden of North Fork Correctional Facility and Torrance County Detention Facility. Additionally, he has held the position of assistant warden at Liberty County Jail in Liberty, Texas. Blair also served at Metro-Davidson County Detention Facility in the same role. Following a 14-year career with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Blair joined CCA in 1995 as shift supervisor at Central Arizona Detention Center and joined Houston processing Center as training manager in 1996.
Total beds: 2160
Customer base:
States of Hawaii, Arizona
ACA Accreditation: Yes
Watonga is located 70 miles northwest of Oklahoma City, and has a population of 4,658, according to the 2000 census. Founded in 1892, Watonga is named for the Arapaho Chief, "Watanga" or " Black Coyote." Agriculture and ranching are big businesses here, along with gypsum mining and Diamondback Correctional Facility which maintains an employee base of approximately 350. Watonga is also home to one of the few cheese factories in the state, and hosts an annual Cheese Festival the first weekend in October. The nearby Roman Nose State Park and Resort provides golfing, camping, hiking, swimming, and horseback riding.
Community Relations:
Basil Taylor - President, First State Bank; Rick Ainsworth - Sheriff, Blaine County; Jim Constant - Pastor, Trinity Baptist Church; Pat Pettus, Blaine County Sheriff's Office; Tome Roane - City Finance Director; Gary Clyden - Chief of Police, Watoga Police Dept.; Michael Dobrinski - Owner/Operator, Dobrinski Chevrolet; Richard Hightower - Mayor, City of Watonga; Brenda Dovel, Watonga Municipal Hospital; Tim Curtin - Owner/Operator, The Watonga Republican; Tim Geis, Chisholm Trail Technology Center; Randy Barrett, Watonga State Bank; Randall Christy, The Gospel Station; Leroy Lavato, Leroy's Laundromat; B.J. Webb, Watonga Superintendent's Office; Tacy Nitzel, First State Bank; Meredith Norris, Chamber of Commerce; Billie Roane, Sooner Success
Community Activities:
Diamondback contributes to several local organizations: Kiwanis Club Cimarron Valley Baseball League Kiwanis Youth Basketball Program Watonga Cheese Festival Watonga Baseball Program Watonga 4-H and FFA Chisolm Trails Community Relations Committee Adopt-a-Highway Watonga Food Bank U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots Reserve Deputy Sheriff for Blaine County Greenfield Volunteer Fire Department Blaine County Sheriff's Office Explorer Program Watonga Academic Foundation Watonga Band Parents Boy and Girl Scouts of America Watonga Headstart Kiwanis T-Ball
Programs Offered:
EDUCATION: Academic Courses (K-12) including ABE (Adult Basic Education) and GED (General Education Development) testing, ESL (English as a Second Language), College Correspondence Courses VOCATIONAL: Computer skills, Horticulture, Carpentry, Commercial Cleaning SUBSTANCE ABUSE: Lifeline Therapeutic Community (residential program), Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, group counseling, Design for Living, Smart Recovery LIFE SKILLS: Breaking Barriers, Anger Management FAITH-BASED: non-denominational religious programs and a partnership with the Institute in Basic Life Principles
Visitation Schedule:
Regular visitation is Saturday and Sunday: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Special visits for Monday and Tuesday: 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.; Thursday and Friday: 12:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. must have special pre-approval.
Awards: 2nd Place float at the Watonga Reunion, 1999 3rd Place float at the Watonga Cheese Festival, 2000
Tour Contact: Sandy Clark, Facility PIO [580-614-2000, ext. 2227]
Directions:
OKLAHOMA CITY - I40 West to exit 108, Hwy 281 North, at traffic signal in Watonga proceed North for 3 miles, facility will be on right.