Oklahoma
Videos
January 14th, 2012: Oklahoma’s Justice Reinvestment Initiative Discussed
Articles
05/12/2012 – Tulsa World: “Chipping Away: Governor Signs Anti-Crime Bill”, Editorial
“It’s a new day in how Oklahoma will approach some of its thorniest criminal justice issues. What’s also significant is the change of attitude among lawmakers and perhaps the public at large.”
05/10/2012 – Capitol Beat OK: “Justice Reinvestment bill signed, laying basis for policy transformations”, by Pat McGuigan
“Speaker of the House Kris Steele, a Shawnee Republican, reflected, ‘Today marks the beginning of a tougher, smarter fight against crime. Police will get more resources, offenders will be held more accountable, prisons will have the space to incarcerate dangerous criminals and Oklahoma will be much safer as a result.’”
05/07/2012 – The Republic: “Oklahoma criminal justice bill takes new approach”, by Tim Talley
“OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — With one of the highest incarceration rates in the nation, Oklahoma lawmakers were at a crossroads; either spend hundreds of millions of dollars on new prisons to accommodate a projected 9 percent increase in state inmates during the next decade or adopt new policies to reduce the rise in prison costs and still protect public safety.”
04/05/2012 – Tulsa World: “Senate should pass historic public-safety measure”, Editorial
“It will chart a new, smarter course for how Oklahoma deals with crime. Police will get more resources, prisons will have the space to incapacitate criminals, and offenders will be held more accountable while getting the services necessary to deter future offenses,” Steele said.”
04/04/2012 – Tulsa World: “Senate panel advances criminal justice-reform measure”, by Barbara Hoberock
“The bill remains the strongest, most pro-law enforcement public safety plan Oklahoma has seen in recent history,” [House Speaker Kris] Steele said. “It will chart a new, smarter course for how Oklahoma deals with crime.”
03/21/2012 – Edmond Sun: “Poll shows support for public safety policies”, by Mark Schlachtenhaufen
“Steele is the primary author of HB 3052, the Oklahoma Justice Reinvestment Initiative. He said the poll results show Oklahoma voters know there is a better way than the status quo in the state’s criminal justice system.”
03/18/2012 – NewsOK: “Bill offers best path to change Oklahoma’s course on crime ”, op-ed by Tom Ward
“In state government, the prison system is at its own tipping point. On the surface, it could be argued that Oklahoma’s incarcerate-at-all-costs strategy works, given that prisons routinely operate near capacity due to our having one of the nation’s highest incarceration rates.”
03/07/2012 – Tulsa World: “House approves prison reform measure, giving violent offenders incentive to behave”, by Wayne Greene
“There is broad-based law enforcement support for this bill because it helps them do what they do best: fight crime and keep us safe,” said the bill’s author, House Speaker Kris Steele, R-Shawnee.”
02/29/2012 – Tulsa World: “Steele’s bill puts public safety first”, Editorial
“Changes could reduce recidivism and almost certainly lower the rate of violent crime. Added up, HB 3052 could do what no legislation has done before: make the public safer.”
02/29/2012 – NewsOK: “Public safety bill off to fast start in Oklahoma Legislature”, Editorial
“There is broad-based law enforcement support for this bill because it helps them do what they do best: fight crime and keep us safe,” said the bill’s author, House Speaker Kris Steele, R-Shawnee.”
02/09/2012 – The Associated Press: “Oklahoma lawmakers tout criminal justice plan”, by The Associated Press
“Fundamentally, this approach is about increasing public safety, using data to identify where there are opportunities to manage the growth and costs in your system and reinvest those savings in ways that can have a bigger impact on crime and public safety,” said Marshall Clement.”
01/20/2012 – Tulsa World: “House speaker files bill to boost Oklahoma law enforcement”, by Barbara Hoberock
“House Speaker Kris Steele on Thursday filed what he calls the most pro-law enforcement initiative in recent history.”
1/15/2012 – Tulsa World: “Report on prisons finally offers roadmap”, by Julie Delcour
“Oklahoma is handcuffed to a runaway freight train, destined to spend $259 million over and beyond current spending if unchecked growth continues.”
1/12/2012 – Tulsa World: “Report: Corrections reforms could save state $249 million”, by Barbara Hoberock
“The report recommends spending $110 million from fiscal year 2013 through fiscal year 2021, with an expected savings of $249 million that would otherwise be spent on the state’s growing prison population.”
1/12/2012 – NewsOK.com: “Report suggests ways for Oklahoma to reduce recidivism, prison costs”, by Michael McNutt
“The group’s findings recommend proposals that would reduce violent crimes in Oklahoma by 10 percent by 2016 and would provide post-prison supervision for all felons while containing growth in prison costs.”
1/11/2012 – Enid News and Eagle: “DAs respond favorably to the Justice Reinvestment Initiative Public Safety report”, by Cass Rains
“Oklahoma’s district attorneys responded favorably Wednesday to the release of the Justice Reinvestment Initiative Public Safety report.”
1/11/2012 – Tulsa World: “Public safety report targets state’s growing prison population”, by Barbara Hoberock
“A public safety report released Wednesday recommends more supervision for offenders once they are released, additional resources for police and more beds for those with mental illness.”
10/27/2011 – Capitol Beat OK: “Three town halls indicate tough decisions on incarceration, criminal justice issues”, by Patrick B. McGuigan
“Steele said, “Our criminal justice system is at a crossroads. Business as usual has proven to be incredibly costly and ineffective. Oklahoma can no longer spend and build its way out of this problem. To get safer, we must get smarter, which is what the Justice Reinvestment Initiative is all about.””
10/25/2011 – The Oklahoman: “With Oklahoma criminal justice data crunched, now hard work begins”, Editorial
“Analysts have crunched the data regarding criminal justice in Oklahoma and have come up with some interesting findings. Next comes the really tough work — crafting, and then approving, policy that makes a difference.”
10/20/2011 – Tulsa World: “Justice system Getting our money’s worth”, Editorial
“The news is not new. Outside evaluators have warned Oklahoma lawmakers for years that the state’s criminal justice system is inefficient and not giving taxpayers much return on their investment.”
10/19/2011 – Tulsa World: “Consultants say that Oklahoma should get more from its criminal justice system”, by Randy Krehbiel
“Oklahoma’s criminal justice system is expensive and not particularly effective, a team of consultants from the nonprofit Council of State Governments’ Justice Center said Tuesday.”
09/16/2011 – Tulsa World: “Study aims to tackle problems in state’s corrections system”, by Barbara Hoberock
“Last year, slightly more than half of the offenders leaving prison did so without supervision on the outside, prosecutors were told Thursday.”
09/15/2011 – The Oklahoman: “Oklahoma lawmakers seek ways to lower recidivism and cost in state prisons”, by Vallery Brown
“The most effective way to prevent incarcerated criminals from reoffending is through programs focusing on changing behaviors, a national expert on criminal justice reform said Wednesday.”
08/21/2011 – Tulsa World: “Conseratives embrace conservative approach to incarceration”, by Julie DelCour
“Last spring, Oklahoma, with 25,000 inmates behind bars and its prison system at 96 percent capacity, also became a Reinvestment state.”
06/26/2011 – Tulsa World: “New approach could fix state prison problems,” Editorial
“Currently prison capacity is at 96 percent. That’s problematic, [Oklahoma House Speaker Kris] Steele, said because it means the Department of Corrections has virtually no room to house new inmates.”