OKLAHOMA CITY — The Bureau of Justice Statistics found Oklahoma has the 4th highest incarceration rate in the nation.
Representative Danny Williams, a Republican from the 28th District, conducted a study at the state capitol to discuss ways to rethink prison sentences.
“If I hadn’t been forgiven in my life, I wouldn’t be sitting here today,” said Williams.
However, the messages designed to be heard by lawmakers during this study did not get a large audience.
When Colleen McCarty, Executive Director for the Tulsa-based non-profit organization Oklahoma Appleseed Center for Crime and Justice, gave her report, only Williams and Representative J.J. Humphrey (R-District 19) were in attendance.
“You don’t see a lot of my colleagues here,” said Williams, looking at the empty chairs. “This is not a vogue issue, this is not a politically positive issue, this is hard work.”
Do you have something you think Erin Christy should look into?
You can email her at Erin.Christy@KJRH.com.
When asked why Oklahoma tends to give longer sentences, which, according to research are getting longer, McCarty said she believed the state relies too heavily on prison, rather than funding treatment options.
“Incarceration only works for a certain type of offender, the type of offender we are really afraid of, that we need to separate from society for whatever reason,” she said. “That’s not most offenders. Most people just need help.”
McCarty contributed part of the rising prison population to a rise in parole being denied.
Some of her recommendations include:
- Adding alternates to the five-member Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board, in the event of a tie, recusal or absence. Right now, a tie vote results in a denial.
- Lawmakers move the board member position to full-time and salaried. She said this allows members to focus and fully consider the cases.
- Enacting a “Second Look” law, for crimes committed as a teen or young adult. It allows the sentence to be reviewed once the inmate serves a certain amount of time in prison.
Six states passed similar laws.
A few more lawmakers trickled in during a later portion of the study, but it was still more empty compared to other hearings 2 News has recently covered.
The study also discussed the lack of treatment facilities for inmates—adding the majority available now are run by non-profit organizations, not the state.
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