OKPOLICY.ORG
An overview of our work on Oklahoma’s Justice System
Oklahoma’s criminal justice system is in a crisis. Prisons have grown increasingly costly and overcrowded without any clear pay-off in public safety. OK Policy promotes a smart-on-crime mentality towards criminal justice — one that doesn’t pursue punishment for its own sake, but instead looks for what works to protect public safety in the most cost-effective way.
See all of our justice system research here.
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Areas of Focus
Bail & Pretrial ReleaseCriminal Justice ReformFines & FeesPrisons & JailsRacial DisparitiesRehabilitation & Reintegration
Justice System Facts
Featured Articles and Reports
Oklahoma’s fines and fees system worsening the economic crisis for families and courts
Although Oklahoma courts suspended most of their activities back in March, they have continued to collect fines and fees. So far this year, about $33.7 million in court debt has been collected from felony and misdemeanor cases alone, compared to about $40 million collected by this time last year. More...
Addressing misinformation about SQ 805
As Oklahomans prepare to vote on State Question 805 during the Nov. 3 general election, opponents have started attacking the justice reform measure in predictable ways, attempting to stir up fear through false and misleading claims. Opponents of SQ 805 are preying on emotions that have resulted in Oklahoma maintaining one of the nation’s highest More...
2020 Focus Areas
OK Policy has determined its focus areas for Oklahoma’s upcoming legislative session based on the organization’s original research, analysis, and feedback from state residents. More...
Strategies for Building Trust Between Law Enforcement and Communities in Oklahoma: Executive Summary
[Download the full report as a pdf.] [Download a summary table of reform proposals.] Contents Introduction Problem Overview Reform Proposals Case Studies Conclusion Executive Summary Law enforcement officers in Oklahoma face a challenging environment. Recent reports place the state near the top for both rates of people killed by police and police officers killed in More...
The Cost Trap: How Excessive Fees Lock Oklahomans Into the Criminal Justice System without Boosting State Revenue: Executive Summary
Tens of thousands of Oklahomans enter the justice system each year and come out with thousands of dollars in legal financial obligations. For poor Oklahomans, this debt can amount to most of their family’s income, and it often leads to a cycle of incarceration and poverty. Read more... More...
What’s driving Oklahoma’s prison population growth?
Oklahoma has the second highest incarceration rate in the country, up from fourth highest in 2012, with approximately 1,310 out of every 100,000 of our citizens incarcerated in 2014. The state appropriated $485 million to the Department of Corrections in FY 2016, but even that amount was not enough to cope with increasingly overcrowded and understaffed prisons. Meanwhile, More...
