On today’s episode we’re going to discuss the ripple effects of more than 450 people having their drug possession and low-level theft sentences commuted.
These individuals have already served one year for drug and property theft crimes that are now considered misdemeanors.  The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board staff said 462 people were eligible for such release, totaling about 1,690 years of sentences being commuted.
This is believed to be the largest single prison sentence commutation in U.S. history. And Today, November 4, 2019, they'll begin returning to their families and restarting their lives.
To explore this issue in detail, our own Jacob Beaumont will interview Damion Shade, of the Oklahoma Policy Institute. OK Policy is a non-partisan independent policy think-tank. Damion joined OK Policy in July of 2018 as its criminal justice policy analyst. He is also a member of the Association’s Legislative Advocacy Committee.
As for Jacob Beaumont, he is Mental Health Association Oklahoma’s Director of Criminal Justice Reform. Jacob and his team work at the intersection where behavioral health and the criminal justice system meet.