|
A new Oklahoma law is set to become active on November 1, 2017. The new law allows for DUI suspects to have the option to have an ignition interlock devices put into their vehicles and take a DUI prevention course or await the outcomes of their criminal cases to determine whether their license revocations are upheld.
It will also become illegal for drunken driving suspects to refuse to take a breath test in Oklahoma. The new law also will abolish the civil administrative process that suspects currently use to challenge the revocation of their driver's licenses. "Our prisons are way over capacity, and our prison population is expected to grow by 25 percent in the next 10 years,” said Fallin. “Oklahoma’s overall incarceration rate is the second-highest in the country, and we lead the nation in female incarceration – incarcerating women at two-and-a-half times the national average. By 2018, we will have the highest incarceration rate in the country." - Mary Fallin
The Governor's office released a statement regarding the new laws. A link to the statement is below:
Law Day is an annual commemoration first held in 1957 to mark Oklahoma’s and our nation’s commitment to the rule of law. Oklahoma is keeping its tradition of celebrating Law Day. By Executive Proclamation, Mary Fallin, Governor of Oklahoma, has declared Thursday, April 27, 2017, as Law Day. The Oklahoma Bar Association is sponsoring several events promoting education about the role of law in society and highlighting the impact that law, lawyers, and the Judiciary have on the lives of individuals.
The theme for Law Day 2017 is “The 14th Amendment: Transforming American Democracy.” Douglas Combs, Chief Justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court, addresses the importance of the 14th Amendment to Americans and Oklahoma citizens. Drug Court is a much cheaper option for Oklahoma taxpayers than putting non-violent drug offenders behind bars. The program also has higher success rates than released prisoners. "According to Mental Health department figures, the annual cost of treating a person in drug court is $5,000. The annual cost of warehousing the same person in prison is at least $19,000."
"Statistics used by the state Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services show that among 8,545 drug court graduates who have been out of the program for three years since 2001, less than 8 percent ended up in prison on subsequent convictions. For people getting out of prison, the three-year recidivism rate is 23.4 percent, nearly three times higher. Unemployment among drug court graduates declines 94.4 percent. Their monthly income goes up by 113.3 percent. Their participation in private health insurance goes up by 153.3 percent." - Tulsa World For the full Tulsa World, visit their webpage by clicking this link: Drug courts save lives, but if that doesn't matter to you, they save money too. |
Call Now: 918-825-3038 Categories |
RSS Feed