Enmienda Estatal 776: La Enmienda Constitucional Sobre La Pena De Muerte

Descargue esta hoja informativa en formato PDF. El punto importante SQ 776 es una enmienda constitucional que afirma el derecho del Estado de Oklahoma para llevar a cabo las ejecuciones. Se le otorga a la Legislatura la facultad de designar… Read more [More...]

The dangerous hidden agenda behind State Question 776 (Guest Post: Sen. Connie Johnson)

Connie Johnson serves as Chair of the Say NO to SQ776 Campaign Committee. She was a State Senator representing District 48 in northeastern Oklahoma County from 2002-2014. I’ve worked throughout Oklahoma these past few months to defeat State Question 776… Read more [More...]

Why we’re supporting SQ 780 and SQ 781

Oklahoma Policy Institute formally endorsed State Questions 780 and 781 in January, joining a wide and politically diverse coalition focused on reducing incarceration rates and addressing the root causes of crime. SQ 780 would reclassify simple drug possession and minor… Read more [More...]

We The (Incarcerated) People (Neglected Oklahoma)

Camille Landry is a writer, activist, and social justice advocate who lives in Oklahoma City.  This post is part of our “Neglected Oklahoma” series, which tells the stories of Oklahomans in situations where the basic necessities of life are hard… Read more [More...]

The surprisingly weak link between incarceration and crime

The logic of the “tough on crime” movement holds that punishing people harshly for their offenses — whether violent or nonviolent — is a critical tool to prevent crime. That attitude was the driving force behind criminal justice policy in… Read more [More...]

What to expect in the next round of criminal justice reforms

In June, Governor Fallin announced the formation of the Oklahoma Justice Task Force, a group that will bring together a wide range of stakeholders to study the criminal justice system and propose legislation aimed at reducing Oklahoma’s high and growing… Read more [More...]

State Question 776: Constitutional Amendment on the Death Penalty

Learn about other state questions on the ballot in Oklahoma. Download this fact sheet as a pdf. En Español The Gist SQ 776 is a constitutional amendment that affirms the state of Oklahoma’s right to perform executions. It gives the… Read more [More...]

State Questions 780 & 781: Criminal Justice Reform

Learn about other state questions on the ballot in Oklahoma. Download this fact sheet as a pdf. The Gist SQ 780 changes the classification of simple drug possession crimes from felony to misdemeanor. It also raises the dollar amount that… Read more [More...]

An achievable step towards justice for all: End money bail

Hand in handcuffs on a pile of dollars The criminal justice system tends to move slowly. The time between a person’s arrest and sentencing usually stretches for months, depending on the charges, but where that time is spent depends mainly on whether the person can afford to pay… Read more [More...]

Oklahoma drug law enforcement agency moves toward ‘treatment option’ to combat addiction (Capitol Updates)

Steve Lewis served as Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1989-1991. He currently practices law in Tulsa and represents clients at the Capitol. You can find past Capitol Updates archived  on his website. There was an important announcement… Read more [More...]