All Oklahoma children deserve a fair and equal juvenile justice system

The justice system will continue to be unfair to people of color unless lawmakers take deliberate steps to fix it. Closing the gap in these disparities for youth is necessary for long-term justice reform in our state. [More...]

Hepatitis C in Oklahoma prisons is an expensive time bomb

Oklahoma must invest in a comprehensive treatment plan for the growing hepatitis C crisis in our prisons before the cost of treatment and the human toll of this crisis become unmanageable.   [More...]

Justice reinvestment offers a model to support vulnerable Oklahoma youth

Oklahoma should take advantage of declining youth incarceration to reinvest in services  — such as therapy, substance use treatment, education, and family supports — for justice-involved youth. [More...]

Spottedcrow case highlights Oklahoma justice system’s flaws (Capitol Update)

At some point it would seem to be of no benefit to the state or to offenders to keep them in debt under threat of arrest and jail.    [More...]

Protected: Oklahoma’s juvenile crime and incarceration rates plummet, but we must address deep racial disparities

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post. [More...]

Don’t Believe the Hype: Recent justice reforms are working

Anecdotal stories about crime should not be the basis of policy, and Oklahoma should continue to pursue evidence-based criminal justice reform to reduce our state’s expensive incarceration crisis. [More...]

End of Session Round-Up: Criminal justice reform was not enough of a legislative priority in 2019

Oklahoma’s fines and fees system worsening the economic crisis for families and courts See all of our end of session round-ups: Taxes | Budget | Economic Opportunity | Health Care | Education | Criminal Justice Oklahoma incarcerates its citizens at a higher rate than any other place on Earth. If Oklahoma does not… Read more [More...]

Budget Overview: The rebuilding project continues

Overall, it's best to think of this budget as a second step on what needs to be a long journey. When adjusted for inflation, this budget is still 10.1 percent  below the FY 2009 level. Over half of state agencies still have lower budgets than they did in FY 2009 without accounting for inflation. [More...]

HB 1269 makes 780 retroactive but leaves issues unresolved

HB 1269 is a positive step for justice reform in Oklahoma, but a recent amendment will complicate the bill’s resentencing process and create financial hurdles that will lessen the positive impact of retroactivity. [More...]

Investments in prison job training will lower the cost of Oklahoma’s incarceration crisis

Stable employment is the single biggest factor in determining whether Oklahomans released from prison are likely to re-offend. Unfortunately, the unemployment rate for justice-involved Oklahomans is five times higher than the statewide average. Workforce training in prisons is one of… Read more [More...]