This year marks a powerful milestone for Oklahomans for Criminal Justice Reform. We are entering our tenth year as an organization. That moment matters.
Ten years ago, Oklahoma was ranked number one in the nation for incarceration. Families were being torn apart. Communities were losing parents, workers, and neighbors at alarming rates. The harm was real, personal, and often ignored.
At that time, OCJR was one of the only voices in the room asking hard questions and telling the truth about over incarceration in Oklahoma. The founders of this organization were fearless. They had the vision to create OCJR, but more importantly, they had the courage to center humanity in a system that too often forgot it.
They believed accountability and justice could exist without destroying families. They believed data, lived experience, and common sense could guide better decisions. And they believed Oklahoma could do better.
Because of that work, Oklahoma is no longer number one in incarceration. Today, we rank fourth. That change did not happen overnight, and it did not happen by accident. It happened because people showed up, spoke up, and stayed committed even when progress felt slow.
Today, the room is full.
What once felt lonely has become collective. Organizations across Oklahoma are now working together, bonded by a shared belief that our justice system should be fair, effective, and focused on long term public safety. OCJR now serves as a trusted guide in that space, helping Oklahomans understand what the data shows, what the patterns mean, and how smarter justice policies strengthen community stability.
We are deeply grateful for our partner organizations who stand shoulder to shoulder with us in this work.
We are thankful for our board members, past and present, who have governed with care and steadiness. Their leadership has helped OCJR remain grounded and trusted through moments of growth and challenge.
We are especially thankful for our donors. Your belief in this mission makes the work possible. Your support is not abstract. It fuels education, research, and real alternatives that keep families together and communities stronger.
We are grateful to legislators who have engaged in honest, good faith conversations at the Capitol. Progress requires courage, dialogue, and a willingness to rethink long standing approaches. Those who have helped foster both legislation and thoughtful discussion deserve recognition.
And we must thank Oklahoma voters.
The passage of State Question 780 and State Question 781 shifted the direction of our state. Because voters said yes, millions of dollars have been dedicated to treatment, support programs, and alternatives to incarceration. That investment reflects a clear truth. Punishment alone does not make communities safer. Prevention, treatment, and stability do.
We know that when people have access to treatment, stability, and opportunity, communities are safer and cycles of harm are broken.
As I step into my role as Executive Director, I do so with deep respect for the foundation that has already been laid. My responsibility is to honor that legacy while guiding OCJR into its next chapter.
Every great team needs both defense and offense.
In this tenth year, we will continue to defend against policies and practices that contribute to mass incarceration. We will challenge decisions that create harm instead of safety. At the same time, we will play offense by continuing to educate the public, community leaders, and policymakers.
In the years ahead, our focus will include alternatives to incarceration, successful reentry, community stability, and ensuring policy decisions are guided by evidence rather than fear. Education builds understanding, and understanding leads to better outcomes.
There is still a lot of work ahead. Progress does not mean the mission is complete. It means the mission is working.
This next chapter is about clarity, consistency, and community. It is about helping Oklahomans see the patterns shaping our justice system and the choices that strengthen families and public safety across our state.
We invite you to be part of the next ten years.
*Ten years in, our work is far from done. Consider honoring OCJR’s 10th anniversary by donating to invest in the next decade of reforms that keep communities safer and families together.*
