Oklahomans for Criminal Justice Reform is thankful for the opportunity to help educate the public and policymakers at the Capitol this legislative session as we all work towards a more equitable criminal legal system for all Oklahomans. With this in mind, we would like to highlight just a few of the areas where the state is poised to make progress […]
March is Women’s History Month. Women’s History Month is a celebration of women’s contributions to history, culture and society and has been observed annually in the month of March in the United States since 1987. This month provides us all with an opportunity to remember, write about, and share stories about both the diversity of women’s lived experiences and the […]
Have you seen our latest analysis? Our data shows that law enforcement officers continue to arrest and prosecute thousands of Oklahomans for having small amounts of marijuana despite voter and legislatively approved reforms aimed at reducing harmful contact with the criminal justice system. Key findings in the analysis include: Read the full report below.
Giving Tuesday, often described as a global day of giving or a global generosity movement, is held each year on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving. Since this first annual day of giving in 2012, nonprofits in the United States have raised more than $1.9 billion. In 2019, nonprofits in the US raised more than $500 million dollars online alone. When you […]
Written by: Ashley Bender and Michael Olson Your vote is your voice. It is easy to feel that your individual vote may not have a huge impact, but if your vote joins enough others in your voting district or county, then your vote undoubtedly matters. More than 130,000 Oklahomans have already cast ballots, either in person or by mail. Data […]
With the close of session, we would be remiss if we neglected to highlight some of the harmful criminal legal bills that almost made it into law. Criminal legal advocates across the state banded together to ensure many of these harmful bills did not pass, but the public has a right to know what bills are being advocated for by […]
Author: Ashley Bender We have a fact check in response to one of the recent media reports that spread misrepresented claims that public safety is in question due to State Question Q780 reforms that recategorized low-level drug & property crimes from felonies to misdemeanors. Last week a news outlet published a misleading report on recidivism among people released from prisons […]
By: Michael Olson Bigler Stouffer, who was sentenced to death for the 1985 murder of Putnam City teacher Linda Reaves, and the shooting of Doug Ivens, is scheduled for execution on Thursday, December 9, 2021. Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt denied his clemency earlier this month and while Stouffer has appealed to the Supreme Court for a stay of execution, as […]
By: Michael Olsen & Ashley Bender; Edited by: Colleen McCarty There’s no question the United States justice system is broken. What does justice mean? Truly, how do we as a nation define justice? The lines are continuously blurred and today does not help us clarify. This reality impacts every aspect of society, especially when the modifier “social” is attached to […]
OKLAHOMA NEEDS SENTENCING REFORM A Comprehensive, Reform-Minded Sentencing Plan. OCJR will push for a sentencing matrix that shortens sentencing ranges, eliminates mandatory minimums, only applies percentages of time served on the most serious felonies, and only applies sentence enhancements in the most serious cases. LET’S CALL FOR DISTRICT ATTORNEY TRANSPARENCY Make the Plea & Charging Data Available. Oklahoma should follow […]