Articles
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Criminal Justice
Punishment and crime: How they are (and are not) related
Changes to state penal codes can have a significant impact on reducing state prison populations. Oklahoma policymakers should continue to pursue new criminal justice reform policies to safely lower the state’s high incarceration rate.Kaitlyn Finley | August 13, 2019
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Criminal Justice
By the numbers: Criminal justice in Oklahoma
Although Oklahoma’s crime rates have declined over the past twenty years, the state’s incarceration rate has continued to rise during the same time period.Kaitlyn Finley | August 1, 2019
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Criminal Justice
Governor’s task force offers another chance at justice reform
Corrections-reform advocates didn't get all they wanted in the 2019 legislative session, but officials are hopeful that the 15-member RESTORE Task Force, created by Governor Kevin Stitt via an executive order, will have more success.Ray Carter | June 17, 2019
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Criminal Justice
Criminal justice reform: What passed, and what’s next for Oklahoma?
This session the Oklahoma legislature passed a handful of bills aimed at reforming the state’s criminal justice system. Governor Stitt’s new task force will propose additional criminal justice reform efforts next session.Kaitlyn Finley | June 6, 2019
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Criminal Justice
Bail bill rejected in House
Members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives rejected legislation Wednesday that would have allowed more criminal suspects to be released from jail without bail after critics said it would lead to more crime and the bill’s author admitted he did not know how much the measure would increase taxpayer costs.Ray Carter | May 23, 2019
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Criminal Justice
A Primer: Oklahoma’s criminal justice system
Oklahoma’s incarceration rate has risen to number one in the nation. This overuse of incarceration has significant financial and social costs. Oklahoma lawmakers are considering reforms aimed at reducing incarceration rates.Kaitlyn Finley | May 16, 2019
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Criminal Justice
Trump cited as model for Oklahoma on corrections
A former inmate freed as the result of a federal corrections-reform law championed by President Donald Trump urged state lawmakers to follow the president’s lead and enact similar reforms in Oklahoma.Ray Carter | May 2, 2019
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Criminal Justice
Corrections system is in crisis, officials say
Policymakers warn a crisis is brewing in Oklahoma’s prison system, and even if correction reform measures drive down some costs, the need to upgrade the system could remain.Ray Carter | April 11, 2019
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Criminal Justice
Criminal justice reform takes aim at ‘debtor’s prisons’
State Sen. George Young (D-Oklahoma City) has introduced two bills that seek to make the transition from prison or jail less stressful and expensive. His goal is to reduce recidivism.Mike Brake | February 25, 2019
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Criminal Justice
Throw away the key?
Oklahoma is the most locked-up state in the country. More of our fellow residents are in prison or jail, as a share of our population, than in any other state.Jonathan Small | November 2, 2018