As a result of our state’s demonstrated commitment to improving the criminal justice system, the Bureau of Justice Assistance, a division of the U.S. Department of Justice, and the Pew Center on the States awarded Oklahoma a grant for onsite technical assistance to be provided by the Council of State Governments Justice Center. The “Justice Reinvestment Initiative” involves engaging state policymakers and key stakeholders, conducting a comprehensive analysis of criminal justice data, and identifying strategies to reduce costs and increase public safety.
The effort is being led in Oklahoma by a Justice Reinvestment Working Group, a cross-governmental, bipartisan team co-chaired by Speaker of the House Kris Steele and Don Millican, chairman of the Oklahoma Christian University Board of Trustees. The Working Group is helping develop policies that will serve as a foundation for legislation to improve the state’s criminal justice system.
