Issue Position: Criminal Justice Reform

Issue Position

Since late 2014, a year when early-release policies were relaxed to help reduce incarceration, the number of inmates in Oklahoma Corrections facilities has increased by nearly 2,200, reaching around 30,000 near the end of 2016.

Data released by the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics also show that Oklahoma had the second highest incarceration rate in the nation in 2014, at 700 inmates per 100,000 population. The national rate was 471.

In addition, the state also led the nation in rates of imprisonment of female offenders in 2014. Oklahoma's lockup rate for women -- 143 per capita in 2014 -- was more than twice the national rate and the highest it's been since the Bureau of Justice Statistics began tracking numbers in 1978.

Oklahoma also had the highest rate nationally of prisoners housed in In-State private prison facilities, including halfway houses, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics data.

In 2014, Oklahoma Corrections Director Robert Patton, resigned and began trying to reduce the number of state inmates being temporarily held in county jails until they could be transferred to a prison. The state pays the counties for each day that an inmate sentenced to prison is housed in a jail. That group is referred to as the "jail backup."

This is costing the State upwards of around a billion dollars each decade of tax payer funded money perpetuating this incarceration for profit model of Penal Enforcement. What makes this worse is that many of those incarcerated are Non Violent Offenders, some whom are only in there because they have Substance Abuse and Addiction Issues. Chemical Addiction is being treated and Punished as a Crime in this State and these High Rankings in the National Average act as another Black Eye or Brown Stain in drawing more embarrassment and unwanted attention nationally.

The stories have come out about Inmates dying in the now Infamous Oklahoma County Jail and a lot of the attention in such matters as far as cause to why this is not more preventable is due to such overcrowding and Corrections Manpower issues.

But there are solutions to such matters....

Oklahoma can save approximately $1.9 Billion dollars over the next 10 years, restore lives and improve public safety by taking the following Steps...

Enact Criminal Justice Reform as soon as humanly and legislatively possible. We are not, and should not want to be known as an Incarceration for Profit State.

Provide early release under conditional Probation Restrictions for specific categories of Non-Violent Offenders, and mandate they get the help they desperately need in order to return to becoming productive and functional Citizens again.

Continue with various Criminal Justice Reform Legislation that change and address the unnecessary and financially burdensome and quality of life deteriorating sentences and punishment guidelines for such Non Violent or Non Victim based offenses. This would also help free up Law Enforcement to be able to focus on more violent or victim based Criminal Offenses throughout the State, thus saving more time for State and Local Prosecutors and Court Houses; reducing the case loads dramatically.

Decriminalize Marijuana, or at least begin a Trial Process of Medicinal Usage and Sales which would have a two pronged effect in reducing those incarcerated or fined for such current usage or offenses, and it would generate new sales and tax revenue for the State that is desperately needed.

These are just a few of the things I would fully support, advocate for and try to help pass in the State Legislature in the realm of Criminal Justice Reform.

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