OKPOLICY.ORG
Reimagining Youth Justice in Oklahoma provides an overview of Oklahoma’s youth justice system by detailing the environment that youth in Oklahoma face, synthesizing data and reporting findings on the state of the youth justice system today, and offering recommendations for reform to create impactful and transformative change for youth. Co-authored by OK Policy’s Jill Mencke and Polina Rozhkova.
Media reports this weekend revealed troubling conditions in the state’s Central Oklahoma Juvenile Center in Tecumseh (COJC) and the subsequent resignation of the Director of the Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs.
In response to these events, the following are comments from OK Policy’s Youth Policy Analyst Jill Mencke, who co-authored a 2024 report – Reimagining Youth Justice in Oklahoma – that recommended reforms that could create impactful and transformative change for youth:
“If Oklahomans want to make significant improvements to their youth justice system, they must start by investing further in proven prevention and diversion programs. Such programs have been shown to help our young people connect with their families, schools, and communities. As opposed to costly detention and long term placement approaches, community-focused diversions and interventions greatly reduce the likelihood of repeat offenses while increasing the odds for long-term success.
When the state places youth in secure facilities such as the one in Tecumseh, research shows they are more likely to reoffend and move deeper into the criminal legal system as adults. In contrast, our research has found that community-based solutions can address root causes and help young people reach their potential.
As state leaders are again addressing youth justice issues in this moment, we encourage them to focus on reforms that:
- Implement regular public reporting and independent oversight of system outcomes to enhance transparency and accountability.
- Fund and scale up evidence-based diversion programs, ensuring robust support systems for youth throughout implementation.
- Create clear, consistent guidelines for when diversion should be used.
- Remove developmentally inappropriate practices from the youth system. This includes setting a minimum age for criminal responsibility, banning juvenile life without parole, and eliminating youth fees and fines.
- Invest in programs and advisory roles that elevate youth with lived experience as leaders and advocates in system reform.
- Expand targeted investments in community-based services and supports to strengthen families and improve outcomes for Oklahoma youth.
A data-driven, fairer youth justice system begins before a child ever formally enters the system, let alone a secure placement facility.
We can move the needle on youth justice reform by shifting investment to the front end of the justice system, focusing on prevention, diversion, and community-based solutions. But it will take all of us – elected officials, policymakers, community leaders, and advocates – working together to create these changes.”
