Criminal Justice

Justice reform second chance

July 21, 2017

Jonathan Small

When Oklahoma voters approved State Questions 780 and 781 in 2016, they made themselves perfectly clear: Criminal justice reform is a top priority for Oklahoma.

The success of these questions shows a desire among Oklahomans to break the devastating cycle of recidivism and incarceration by reducing sentences for nonviolent, mostly drug-related crimes and placing increased importance on rehabilitation and work programs.

Unfortunately, criminal justice reform efforts were crowded out in the 2017 legislative session by an executive branch obsession with raising taxes and the-sky-is-falling rhetoric of tax consumers.

Read the rest over on The Journal Record.