Failing to Protect Oklahoma's Child Abuse and Neglect Statute Unfairly Punishes Mothers and Endangers Children

Punishing Mothers Does Not Protect Children

While children's safety must be protected, Oklahoma's highly punitive and overly broad child abuse and neglect statute often does the opposite. By criminalizing survivors of domestic violence and mothers living in poverty—sometimes with little to no evidence of actual wrongdoing—the statute deters reporting, separates families, isolates them from much-needed help, and places children at even greater risk of abuse and neglect.

The Story Begins

Our new report shows how Oklahoma’s criminal justice reform story continues to be written. The improvements that have been made to the criminal justice system in the last five years show that progress is possible, but more work remains to strengthen Oklahoma’s economy, communities, and families.

More Work to Do

Oklahoma voters, Republican Governors Mary Fallin and Kevin Stitt, and state legislative leaders have taken the first steps, but more work remains. Even after five years of progress, Oklahoma has the third highest imprisonment rate overall and the second-highest women’s imprisonment rate. Oklahoma can continue to safely reduce Oklahoma’s incarceration rate and strengthen its economy, communities, and families.

Turning the Page:

The Economy

Felony Records and Long Sentences Hurt the Economy

Oklahoma’s criminal justice system has constricted the state’s economic growth by removing people from the workforce, subjecting them to harsh sentences, and then imposing significant barriers to their return to work.

Turning the Page:

Keeping Communities Safe

Incarceration Doesn’t Make Oklahoma Communities Safer

Oklahoma’s criminal justice system should be focused on keeping communities safe, but instead at every stage of the system, it fails to rehabilitate, protect survivors, or strengthen community ties.

Turning the Page:

Keeping Families Together

Families Pay the Price

The impact of incarceration extends beyond the person locked behind bars. Oklahoma’s punitive approach to criminal justice and harsh reliance on incarceration is separating families and harming Oklahoma’s children.

New Poll Shows Oklahoma Voters Want Leaders Taking Bold Action on Criminal Justice

According to a new poll out of Oklahoma, 73% of registered voters, including 64% of Republican voters believe it is important to reduce the number of people incarcerated. This poll demonstrates that voters in Oklahoma overwhelmingly want elected leaders to continue taking bold action to safely reduce the jail and prison populations. Download the full poll findings below and learn more about the impactful criminal justice reform policies an overwhelming majority of Oklahoma voters support.

Issue Center

Your Deep Dive: Criminal Justice Reform in Oklahoma

  • Press Release
  • Criminal Justice

New Comprehensive Report Tells Oklahoma’s Criminal Justice Reform Story

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — A new report released today, “Turning the Page: Oklahoma’s Criminal Justice Reform Story,” highlights five years of Republican-led and voter-supported criminal justice reform efforts, demonstrating how…

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  • Poll Memo
  • Criminal Justice

New Poll Shows Strong, Bipartisan Support for More Criminal Justice Reform in…

  • Blog
  • Oklahoma

Misdemeanors, Municipal Crimes, and Old Warrants: The True Story of What Happened to People Released Under HB 1269

Project Commutation

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  • Press Statement
  • Criminal Justice

FWD.us Statement on Passage of Oklahoma Justice Reform Bills

  • Press Release
  • Criminal Justice

FWD.us is launching a long-term criminal justice reform initiative

  • Policy & Reports
  • Criminal Justice

Oklahoma Unfairly Punishes Mothers and Children

  • Press Release
  • Criminal Justice

On Incarceration, Oklahoma County Continues to Lag Behind Tulsa County 

  • Press Statement
  • Criminal Justice

Reclassification Council’s recommendations will increase Oklahoma’s prison population

  • Blog
  • Oklahoma

Five Years of Defending State Question 780

  • Press Statement
  • Criminal Justice

New analysis finds AG’s Reclassification Council recommendations would increase Okla.’s prison population

  • Press Statement
  • Criminal Justice

Okla. commutation approvals decline dramatically during COVID-19 pandemic

  • Press Statement
  • Criminal Justice

New Report Shows Rise in Black Prison Admissions Rate in Okla. During…

  • Policy & Reports
  • Oklahoma

Racial Disparities Are Rising in Oklahoma Prison Admissions During the COVID-19 Pandemic

  • Press Statement
  • Criminal Justice

FWD.us Statement on State Question 805 in Oklahoma

  • Criminal Justice

ICYMI: NPR: Getting Out Of Prison Sooner

  • Policy & Reports
  • Criminal Justice

Long Sentences Drive Oklahoma’s High Imprisonment Rate

  • Blog
  • Criminal Justice

Juneteenth: Honoring the Ongoing Struggle for Freedom

  • Blog
  • Criminal Justice

Oklahoma’s State Question 805: Reducing Harsh Sentences and Reuniting Families

  • Press Statement
  • Criminal Justice

ICYMI: A Republican Crusader Takes on Oklahoma’s Prison Machine

  • News
  • Criminal Justice

ICYMI: Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt Signs commutation docket of more than 500…

  • Press Release
  • Criminal Justice

Bipartisan Coalition Files Initiative to Put Sentencing Reform on the 2020 Ballot

  • Blog
  • Criminal Justice

Commuted Sentences in Oklahoma Signal Change in Approach

  • Press Statement
  • Criminal Justice

FWD.us Statement on the Passage of HB1269 and the Urgent Need for…

  • Press Statement
  • Criminal Justice

FWD.us Statement on the Oklahoma Legislature’s Passage of Key Criminal Justice Reforms

  • Blog
  • Oklahoma

5 Reasons Oklahoma Needs Bail Reform Now

  • Brief
  • Oklahoma

Retroactivity Now: It’s Time to Pass HB 1269 in Oklahoma

  • Press Release
  • Criminal Justice

NEW VIDEO: 5 PROPOSED REFORMS IN OKLAHOMA WOULD HELP SHED STATE’S #1…

  • Press Statement
  • Criminal Justice

FWD.us Statement on HB 2523 and the Need for Reform to Oklahoma’s…

  • Press Statement
  • Criminal Justice

FWD.us Statement Applauding the Passage of HB 1269 and HB 1100

  • Press Statement
  • Criminal Justice

FWD.us Statement on Oklahomans for Criminal Justice Reform Public Safety Policy Agenda

  • Press Statement
  • Criminal Justice

FWD.us Statement On Oklahoma Governor Commuting An Additional Nine People During the…

  • Press Statement
  • Criminal Justice

Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board Recommends 9 More Applicants For Commutation

  • Press Release
  • Criminal Justice

FWD.us Statement On Oklahoma Governor’s Decision to Grant 21 Commutations Before The…

  • Press Release
  • Criminal Justice

NEW REPORT: Without Additional Reform, Oklahoma’s Prison Population Projected to Continue Growing

  • Press Release
  • Criminal Justice

FWD.us Statement on the Outcome of Today’s Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board…

  • Press Release
  • Criminal Justice

Poll Shows Oklahoma Voters Support Bold Criminal Justice Reforms

  • Press Statement
  • Criminal Justice

Project Commutation Video Release

  • Stories
  • Oklahoma

Felicia Witherspoon

  • Stories
  • Oklahoma

Juanita Peralta

  • Stories
  • Oklahoma

Kayla Jo Jeffries

  • Press Statement
  • Criminal Justice

Oklahoma: New Commutation Campaign

  • Press Statement
  • Criminal Justice

FWD.us Statement on the Signing of Oklahoma Senate Bill 185

  • Press Statement
  • Criminal Justice

FWD.us Statement on Signing of Oklahoma Justice Reform Bills

  • Press Release
  • Criminal Justice

FWD.us Joins Oklahomans for Criminal Justice Reform To Push Critical 2018 Reforms

  • Press Release
  • Criminal Justice

FWD.us to lead expanded line of work, hires criminal justice reform expert