Recent Articles

A Surprisingly Not Terrible Year for Criminal Justice Policy in Oklahoma

This year, legislators advanced a number of bills that will improve the criminal justice system in Oklahoma, and largely managed to avoid undoing previous work. Going into the 2026 legislative session, lawmakers should continue to prioritize building upon progress rather than tearing down policies that work. [More...]

SB 1027 would exclude millions of registered voters from signing initiative petitions

Oklahoma’s initiative petition process is an effective and secure way for citizens to serve as a check on our state government and our elected officials. However, Senate Bill 1027 would place arbitrary restrictions on how many signatures could be collected… Read more [More...]

Due Process

Due process ensures that the federal and state governments must treat all individuals fairly. The constitutions for both the United States and Oklahoma guarantee that the government can not deprive someone of life, liberty, or property without following a fair… Read more [More...]

The Legislature is Working Against Itself

Once again, the Legislature is ready to work against itself when it comes to Oklahoma’s criminal justice system. The Legislature has advanced some bills that will remove barriers placed on justice-involved people. However, it has also entertained a number of… Read more [More...]

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

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)

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

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. 

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

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...]