Incarcerated NCP’s – Closure vs. Abatement
The Oklahoma Department of Corrections (DOC) provides automated updates if and when an NCP is incarcerated in Oklahoma. DCN’s can then be updated, and the information is accessible via DCHG; “prison data” will need to be selected from the available options. The worker can view the facility where a given NCP is located, the NCP’s DOC inmate number, and the begin date of the prison term, as well as the estimated parole and release date(s).
If a person is found to be incarcerated in another state, the DCN will need to be updated with this information.
The “begin date” is the date when an individual arrives at a facility. The person may have first been continually in custody at a jail, so further research needs to be done for abatements. The case can then be updated via OBLA with an appropriate abatement or non-abatement code, contingent on the situation.
If a parole/release date is prior to the emancipation of a child, the worker will not be able to close the case. Per CSS State Office, auto-updates run monthly, so these cases cannot be operated to close.
If the worker learns that someone is in federal prison, relevant information needs to be added to the person’s DCN. The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) website will provide the corresponding release date. The worker can can find ID numbers on FCRL (which makes it easier to locate a person, especially if the name is a common one). Also, the worker can only view inmates’ names and ages on the above website, which is why having the ID is helpful.