CJI Assists Oklahoma in Modernizing its Criminal Justice System
By Crime and Justice Institute
In July 2023, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt announced that a new task force would begin a first-of-its-kind intensive review of the state’s jails system by identifying evidence-based strategies to reduce crime and recidivism, enhance public safety, and increase opportunities for all Oklahomans.
The launch of the MODERN (Modernized Operations through Data and Evidence-based Restoration Now) Justice Task Force comes after Governor Stitt, Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat, House Speaker Charles McCall, and the Administrative Director of the Administrative Office of the Courts Jari Askins jointly requested facilitative and administrative support from the Crime and Justice Institute under the Justice Reinvestment Initiative, supported by the Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance and The Pew Charitable Trusts.
What to expect
After completing its review, the Task Force will look at research related to addressing system challenges and reducing recidivism and examine how other jurisdictions have responded to similar challenges. The Task Force will then provide recommendations to the legislature for their consideration during the 2024 legislative session, which begins in February.
Learn more about Oklahoma’s MODERN Justice Task Force.
This project was supported by the BJA, a component of the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the SMART Office. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.