Proposals to mandate pretrial data collection, crack down on domestic abuse and expand expungement eligibility are among the criminal justice bills eligible to be considered during the 2024 regular legislative session.
Oklahoma’s criminal justice system has rebounded from delays and logistical challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. While the threat of coronavirus behind bars has waned, concerns about an uptick in the state’s prison population, poor conditions at some correctional facilities and the treatment of mentally ill detainees persist.
1. Reforming penalties for domestic violence in Oklahoma
Bill Number: Senate Bill 1211
Sponsor: Kristen Thompson, R-Edmond
As Oklahoma’s domestic violence rate trends up, several bills look to increase punishments for abusers.
Thompson’s proposal would increase the maximum first-time sentence for domestic abuse by strangulation from three to 10 years in state custody. Domestic abuse by strangulation can cause long-term injuries and trauma and has been shown by researchers to be a precursor to homicide, Oklahoma Watch reported in 2019.