By Jason Doyle Oden
Two State Questions to be decided by Oklahoma voters on November 8 are connected and meant to put criminal justice reforms in place. It is part of an effort to reduce the state prison population by reclassifying certain crimes and providing funding for substance abuse and mental health treatment programs
State Question 780 changes the classification of some drug and property crimes. For example, if someone is caught with a small amount of an illicit drug like methamphetamines, under current law they would be charged with a felony. If approved, it would make the charge against them a misdemeanor. Currently, state law covering property crimes sets $500 as the threshold for a felony. SQ 780 would raise that threshold to $1,000.
Supporters of SQ 780 say that the changes will lead to fewer people being incarcerated, saving the state money. If it passes, the money would be used to help fund community rehabilitation programs through State Question 781.
Oklahomans for Criminal Reform is the organization behind the criminal justice reform proposals. Its leader is former Speaker of the House Kris Steele.
“Based on our estimation, we know that approximately a quarter of the people who are incarcerated today are incarcerated for these particular offenses. When you consider that our annual budget to the Department of Corrections is over $500 million, we’re talking in the neighborhood of $100 to $125 million worth of savings that would be redirected on an annual basis.”
Steele said the money would be used by counties to enhance and expand mental health care and substance abuse treatment options.
A review of government statistics shows Oklahoma has one of the top incarceration rates in the country, not to mention has the most women per capita behind bars. Steele contends this shows Oklahoma can spend millions of dollars on locking up low level criminals, but it isn’t doing anything to reduce the crime rate.
“We have failed to adequately address the root cause behind the behavior. We’re not actually ever addressing the addiction or the mental illness and rather we incarcerate and it’s just not producing the kind of outcomes that are in the best interest of our communities and our neighborhoods,” said Steele.
It is difficult to find opposition to SQ 780 and 781 outside the ranks of District Attorneys. Tulsa County D.A. Steve Kunzweiler told the Tulsa World in August that he was against the passage of the State Questions.
“Every possession of every drug will be a misdemeanor, whether it’s the first time or the 20th time,” Kunzweiler told the Tulsa World in its story, “Tulsa County DA Opposes State Questions on Justice Reform.”
SQ 781 cannot be passed by itself. Language makes it dependent upon passage of SQ 780.
