Author: Cole Allen

Cole Allen // callen@okpolicy.org

Cole Allen joined OK Policy as a Policy Fellow in August 2022. He graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a master’s degree in International Studies as well as a bachelor’s degree in International Studies with minors in Religious Studies and Middle Eastern Studies. During college, Cole was a research assistant at the Center for U.S.-China Issues and the Center for Cyber Governance and Policy. He also interned for the U.S. Department of State Diplomat in Residence for the Central United States. Cole hopes that his work at OK Policy will help make Oklahoma a more just and equitable state for all its residents. When he is not working, Cole enjoys cooking Italian food, playing Dungeons and Dragons, and following OU athletics.

Recent Articles

Long Sentences and Oklahoma’s Parole Process | Interim Study, October 2024

By: Cole Allen
October 30, 2024 // Updated: October 30, 2024
OK Policy's Criminal Justice Policy Analyst Cole Allen spoke with lawmakers on Oct. 29, 2024, about how long prison sentences impact the state's parole process. [More...]

Mental Health in Oklahoma Prisons and Jails | Interim Study, October 2024

By: Cole Allen
// Updated: October 30, 2024
OK Policy's Criminal Justice Policy Analyst Cole Allen spoke with lawmakers about how to improve mental health treatment in Oklahoma jails during an Oct. 28, 2024, interim study. [More...]

Lawmakers must build on criminal justice reforms, not tear them down (Legislative Wrap-Up)

By: Cole Allen
July 9, 2024 // Updated: July 9, 2024
While the Oklahoma Legislature passed some important measures in 2024, there were also disconcerting attempts to undo years of improvements. Some of these harmful measures were stopped, but many positive changes also failed to progress. If Oklahoma truly wants an effective criminal justice system, legislators must protect and build on the progress made over the years. [More...]

Eliminate justice-related fees and invest in Oklahoma’s justice system

By: Cole Allen
June 24, 2024 // Updated: June 24, 2024
If Oklahoma's lawmakers are serious about improving public safety, they should focus their efforts on eliminating justice-related fees and fines. Doing so would help justice-involved Oklahomans and improve public safety, provide stable funding for essential public safety services, and would be a cost-effective investment for our justice system. [More...]

Fact Check: Has Oklahoma’s larceny rate skyrocketed since SQ 780 was passed in 2016? No. 

By: Cole Allen
March 22, 2024 // Updated: October 15, 2024
Some lawmakers and others have shared OSBI data purporting to show a dramatic increase in larceny, shoplifting, or other property crimes. OSBI has said those spikes were created by changes in data reporting, not increases in crime.  [More...]

When lawmakers prioritize democratic processes, all Oklahomans benefit

By: Cole Allen
October 6, 2023 // Updated: October 6, 2023
Factsheet: What to know about Online Voter Registration in Oklahoma [PDF] # # # While lawmakers worked to make some improvements to Oklahoma’s democracy in the 2023 legislative session, there are still many opportunities to bring our state closer to… Read more [More...]

Initiative petition process is vital to Oklahoma’s democracy: Lawmakers should keep it accessible

By: Cole Allen
August 9, 2023 // Updated: July 22, 2024
Oklahoma’s lawmakers must keep our democracy strong and stop putting forward legislation designed to diminish the power of the initiative petition and state question process in Oklahoma. In 2020, Oklahomans passed State Question 802 to expand Medicaid access in Oklahoma,… Read more [More...]

Oklahoma’s 2022 General Elections

By: Cole Allen
October 25, 2022 // Updated: October 25, 2022
Oklahoma Candidates and Election Information Everything You Need to Know About Voting in Oklahoma (2022 General Election) [Together Oklahoma] 2022 Oklahoma Voter Guide [League of Women Voters of Oklahoma] 2022 Election Guide [Let’s Fix This] Oklahoma Retention Ballot of Judges… Read more [More...]

Make your voice heard: Vote absentee!

By: Cole Allen
October 4, 2022 // Updated: October 10, 2022
[Download this information sheet as a printable PDF] – – – To help Oklahomans understand the processes of Oklahoma’s absentee voter process, OK Policy and Together Oklahoma have developed this overview for the Nov. 8, 2022 general election. Absentee voting… Read more [More...]