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 […]
Interim studies begin this month at the Oklahoma Capitol. These studies serve as a deep dive into specific policy issues that are presented to lawmakers while the state legislature is not in session. Interim studies offer a chance for legislators to learn more deeply about an issue that may have slipped through the cracks for one reason or another. This […]
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 […]
Jones was arrested on January 13, 2019 for shooting and killing her longtime boyfriend Quaylan Jeffers. Jones lived with Jeffers between 2006 and 2017 and she was finally leaving him after suffering years of documented abuse.
It’s time to recap some of the major wins, losses, and what’s on the horizon for advocates of criminal justice reform in Oklahoma.
The Oklahoma Senate and the Oklahoma House of Representatives hit one of their big deadlines on March 11th, 2021. That deadline requires that all bills that will advance to become law be passed off the floor in their house of origin before that date. This ensures enough time for the bill to pass through the opposite house and go to […]
End of life care is something many people need in order to die with dignity – including Oklahomans who are incarcerated.
OCJR is happy to have partnered with providers of services to domestic violence victims in creating HB2879. In short, HB2879 takes savings from significant sentencing reforms outlined in SB704 and funnels them to providers who can support and innovate ways to reduce interpersonal and gender based violence.
There are efforts underway to reform Oklahoma’s sentencing code. Oklahoma currently has some of the longest sentences in the world, compared to other states as well as other countries. This is due to an outdated criminal code that oftentimes provides extremely long ranges of punishment. Long sentence ranges, Oklahoma’s use of sentencing enhancements on all felonies, and the 85% rule […]
The term “restorative justice” has many meanings and applications. Mainly, it is a framework used to reconsider the ways our criminal justice system obtains justice. Where our criminal legal system seeks to redress wrongs for violation of the law, restorative justice seeks to heal harm to relationships, victims, offenders, and society as a whole.