EXPANDED DIVERSION PROGRAMS
Progress in Oklahoma County reform:
Of the six Vera Institute recommendations, CJI found progress on some while more work is needed on others.
The first recommendation, to create oversight and accountability mechanisms for the local justice system, was accomplished through the creation and continued operation of CJAC. The study found that CJAC’s work served to provide increased transparency and accountability while facilitating collaboration among county justice system agencies and partners. The second recommendation, to reduce jail admissions for municipal violations and low-level misdemeanors, resulted in drastic improvement, as the arrests due to municipal charges dropped dramatically from 32% to 14%. Correlated to that figure, the OKC Police Department, the jail’s biggest customer, has increased their utilization of cite-and-release by 61% since 2015.
and recidivism. The study showed a dramatic decrease in those jailed only for fines and fees. The study found that less than 1.5% of jail admissions in 2022 were due to unpaid fines and fees. CJAC championed a new law passed last year by the Oklahoma Legislature that goes into effect this November that will further reduce the number of those types of warrants that result in arrest and time in jail.
More work to be done:
The third recommendation – to create a fair and efficient pretrial release process that safely reduces unnecessary pretrial incarceration – saw no change from the Vera Institute study. The pretrial population for the Vera Institute study was 84% and there was no change in 2023. The CJI study pointed toward a new goal of 71% which would match the national average. The fourth recommendation, to identify and address district court case processing delays that increase jail admissions and length of stay, had mixed results. Although the length of stay decreased for those released within the first 48 hours, for those staying past 48 hours the length of stay was stagnant. Also, although counsel is now involved in the detainees’ initial court appearance, the ability for attorneys to physically see
Significant progress has also been made on recommendations five and six:
The fifth recommendation, to expand meaningful diversion program options, focusing on those with mental illness and substance use disorder, was accomplished by significantly increasing access to diversion programs in Oklahoma County. Additionally, diversion program participants are identified earlier in the criminal justice process, making them eligible for a broader continuum of diversion programming. The sixth recommendation was to reduce the impact of justice system fines and fees as a driver of jail growth
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