From Arnold Ventures:
Anyone looking for proof that criminal justice reform is a bipartisan issue need look no further than Oklahoma. The state is the reddest of red, and not just because of its famously rusty soil. Donald Trump won voters there by more than 30 points in 2016 and 2020. The current governor, Kevin Stitt, used his first three years checking every box for the Republican base.
And in the last half-decade, Oklahoma has enacted a series of landmark legislation that has reclassified drug offenses, removed barriers to reintegration, and reappropriated funding to social services?—?all with stunningly positive outcomes. More than a one-off effort, these policies span two different governorships and demonstrate how justice reform can earn bipartisan support and a warm public reception all while helping people involved in the carceral system. The work stands as a valuable example to states blue and red about how change is possible across the political spectrum.
“There is a growing consensus nationwide that just because you’re conservative doesn’t mean that you can’t also be a reformer in criminal justice. In my opinion, there’s nothing more conservative than preventing the government from overreaching into people’s lives,” said David Gateley, a criminal justice policy analyst of the Oklahoma Policy Institute. ?“When we can find common ground on issues, that’s where the most work can get done. And that’s really true for Oklahoma.” Continue reading >>>
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