Criminal justice reform is priority for Oklahomans

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  • Criminal justice reform is priority for Oklahomans
    Criminal justice reform is priority for Oklahomans
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Oklahoma continued on its criminal justice reform journey last year with State Question 805. While the result was not what we had hoped for, over half a million Oklahomans voiced their support to end extreme sentences for individuals convicted of nonviolent offenses, make better use of state resources and increase investments in treatment, mental health care and services for survivors.

Since Election Day, this statewide movement has continued to grow. Advocates are renewing the push for common-sense reforms, and are rallying together to encourage state leaders to take bold action to end our state’s incarceration crisis.

At the heart of our efforts is a desire to reduce Oklahoma’s overuse of incarceration for nonviolent offenses and provide relief to the thousands of families that have been harmed by the existing extreme sentencing laws. The bipartisan movement to reduce disparities, eliminate inequalities, rein in lengthy sentences and improve public safety remains strong. Many Oklahomans understand that the current system is based on punitive policies, ignores trauma, stigmatizes mental illness and criminalizes addiction. An increasing number of Oklahomans see the value in investing in alternatives to prison to keep Oklahoma families safe and intact while saving taxpayer dollars. Additionally, we need to do more to support crime victims who are often among those most harmed by our unfair criminal justice system.

Criminal justice reform is personal for many. It’s rare to find a family that hasn’t been impacted by addiction, mental illness, unresolved trauma or incarceration.

Over the past several years, a majority of voters have supported criminal justice reform including State Questions 780 and 781, as well as the important and historic commutations signed by Governor Fallin in 2018 and more recently by Governor Stitt in 2019. These and other reforms have started the process to address Oklahoma’s incarceration crisis, but much more needs to be done.

In 2020, hundreds of thousands of Oklahomans petitioned to get criminal justice reform on the ballot, and people from across the political spectrum cast their vote to help end decades-long sentences for nonviolent crimes. State Question 805 contained bold reform that would have eliminated one of the key tools used to perpetuate these harsh and unreasonable sentences.

Although opponents of SQ 805 were not in favor of a constitutional amendment, they, like many other Oklahomans, are supportive of criminal justice reform through the Legislature. Reforms such as stopping the practice of excessive sentencing, decriminalizing addiction, investing in rehabilitation programs and better funding for domestic violence prevention programs are needed legislative efforts that will create a safer Oklahoma and a better state for everyone.

Advocates for reform believe that reducing the prison population and investing in effective public safety and treatment strategies are two sides of the same coin. We are not doing enough to protect and support survivors of abuse, and the current system is hurting more people than it is helping. Many of the people most harmed by the criminal justice system are also crime victims themselves, and we can and must do a better job of breaking this vicious cycle. Now more than ever, we need reconciliation and healing in our communities.

Ending extreme sentences for nonviolent convictions is an important and logical next step in this journey. Oklahoma’s overuse of prison as a one-size-fits-all punishment for behaviors related to trauma, addiction and mental illness is not sustainable. Our state resources should be focused on holding people accountable in an appropriate manner and investing in effective, proven alternatives to achieve better outcomes. The people of Oklahoma will continue to push for meaningful reform within the Legislature. We cannot afford to give up on one another. Our communities are at their best when every-one is able to contribute to the greater good. After all, there is no such thing as a spare Oklahoman.

Kris Steele is executive director of Oklahomans for Criminal Justice Reform, a bipartisan coalition of criminal justice reform advocates. A Republican, he served in the Oklahoma Legislature for 12 years and served as Speaker of the House for two years.