With one of the highest incarceration rates in the nation, Oklahoma is making corrections policy changes a top priority. State legislators looking to reduce incarceration costs are considering the examples of Washington and Kansas—two states which have “implemented incremental corrections policy changes in recent years that have resulted in cost savings” according to this Oklahoman article.
By proposing alternatives to incarceration, including community sentencing, Oklahoma legislators are echoing the concerns of many corrections experts, as well as Missouri Chief Justice William Price. According to Price, Missouri’s “broken strategy of cramming inmates into prisons” costs the state millions of dollars, and he recommends looking into alternative programs for non-violent offenders.