Sentencing Reform Recommendations of the Oklahoma Sentencing Commission

http://www.ocjrc.net/pubFiles/LegisRecom/2007RecommendationsFormatted.pdf


See the above link for more details.

Sentencing Reform Recommendations of the Oklahoma Sentencing Commission:

1. Limit Length of Revocation Sentences: The maximum length of imprisonment for a probationer who commits a technical violation (not a new crime) should be 2 years.

2. Revise Life Without Parole Sentence for Drug Trafficking: The mandatory minimum sentence of Life Without Parole for persons convicted of drug trafficking who have two prior drug offenses should be repealed.
Sex Offender Management

3. Tier System for Sex Offender Management: Statutes should be modified to establish a tier system with a finer distinction between sex offenders based on a calculated risk of re-offending. If resources for supervising sex offenders are limited, the public is better protected by dedicating resources (supervision intensity, residency restrictions, registration requirements) to the most risky offenders.

4. Revise Sex Offender Residency Restrictions: The Legislature should consider revising the distance restrictions on registered sex offenders to ensure they promote compliance and public safety rather than pushing sex offenders toward rural areas or non-compliance with reporting.

Prisoner Re-entry Proposals

5. Remove Governor from Some Parole Decisions: The Constitution should be amended so that the Governor’s signature is not required for parole release unless the District Attorney or victim has filed a protest of the parole with the Parole Board.

6. Consider Impact of Fines, Fees and Assessments on Defendants: The Legislature should consider the burden that increased fines, fees and assessments are creating on criminal defendants. The increased monetary costs are potentially counter-productive to the goal of returning low-risk offenders to good-standing with the community.

7. Study of Employment Barriers for Offenders: A study should be conducted to seek ways to eliminate the barriers to meaningful, adequate employment that are erected by felony convictions.

Reimbursements to County Jails

8. Adjust the rate of Department of Corrections’ reimbursements to county jails: The rate of the Department of Corrections’ reimbursement to county jails for any individual sentenced to prison who remains in county jail for more than 45 days shall be the actual costs to the county jail.