Cole Allen joined OK Policy as a Policy Fellow in August 2022 and was named the Criminal Justice Policy Analyst in October 2023. He attended the University of Oklahoma, earning a BA in International Studies with minors in Religious Studies and Middle Eastern Studies in May 2022 and is currently working on an MA in International 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 travelling, playing Dungeons and Dragons, and following OU athletics.
By: Cole Allen
June 12, 2026 // Updated: June 12, 2026
The 2026 Oklahoma legislative session saw disappointingly few needed criminal justice reforms become law. Over the past few years, the legislature and the governor have built momentum for positive criminal justice reforms, but those efforts fell flat this year. Between… Read more [More...]
By: Cole Allen
May 15, 2026 // Updated: May 15, 2026
In 2016, voters approved State Questions 780 and 781, putting policies in place that have reduced our prison population and directed millions into much-needed community services. Nearly a decade later, Oklahoma voters on June 16 will have the opportunity to… Read more [More...]
By: Cole Allen
April 9, 2026 // Updated: April 9, 2026
Oklahomans are eager for bold justice reforms that guarantee fairness and safety for everyone; they don’t want to regress back towards a system that unfairly punishes poverty and prioritizes incarceration over all else. Lawmakers still have the second half of… Read more [More...]
By: Cole Allen
September 2, 2025 // Updated: November 13, 2025
Lawsuits related a bill that limits the state question process are critical steps to this constitutional right. The Supreme Court must act with haste to strike down SB 1027 as a blatantly unconstitutional limit on free speech and democracy. [More...]
By: Cole Allen
June 15, 2025 // Updated: June 15, 2025
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...]
By: Cole Allen
April 16, 2025 // Updated: May 21, 2025
When applying SB 1027's formula statewide, its requirement would exclude 2.1 million citizens (or 89.8% of registered voters) from signing a petition for statutory amendments, and 2.2 million citizens (or 94.4% of registered voters) for constitutional amendments. [More...]
By: Cole Allen
April 10, 2025 // Updated: November 4, 2025
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...]
By: Cole Allen
March 19, 2025 // Updated: March 19, 2025
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...]
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...]
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...]
OKPOLICY.ORG
The 2026 Oklahoma legislative session saw disappointingly few needed criminal justice reforms become law. Over the past few years, the legislature and the governor have built momentum for positive criminal justice reforms, but those efforts fell flat this year. Between… Read more [More...]
In 2016, voters approved State Questions 780 and 781, putting policies in place that have reduced our prison population and directed millions into much-needed community services. Nearly a decade later, Oklahoma voters on June 16 will have the opportunity to… Read more [More...]
Oklahomans are eager for bold justice reforms that guarantee fairness and safety for everyone; they don’t want to regress back towards a system that unfairly punishes poverty and prioritizes incarceration over all else. Lawmakers still have the second half of… Read more [More...]
Lawsuits related a bill that limits the state question process are critical steps to this constitutional right. The Supreme Court must act with haste to strike down SB 1027 as a blatantly unconstitutional limit on free speech and democracy. [More...]
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...]
When applying SB 1027's formula statewide, its requirement would exclude 2.1 million citizens (or 89.8% of registered voters) from signing a petition for statutory amendments, and 2.2 million citizens (or 94.4% of registered voters) for constitutional amendments. [More...]
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...]
