Oklahoma Releases Largest Number of Prisoners in One Day in U.S. History
Oklahoma shifts its policies regarding those convicted of non-violent crimes in an effort to reform its prison system. (Wikimedia Commons)
Oklahoma commuted the sentences of 527 state prisoners on November 4, marking the largest single-day release in U.S. history. The release comes following a unanimous vote by the state Pardon and Parole Board to recommend that Governor Kevin Stitt (R) commute the sentences.
The released inmates were all convicted of non-violent crimes. Through this decision, the governor hopes to “focus the state's efforts on helping those with nonviolent offenses achieve better outcomes in life.” In 2016, Oklahomans voted to reduce drug possession and low-level property crimes from felonies to misdemeanors.
The action comes as a result of “months-long collaboration among numerous state entities, including Pardon and Parole, the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, Office of Governor Kevin Stitt, Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Oklahoma Employment Security Commission, Oklahoma Department of Human Services, Oklahoma District Attorneys Council and the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety,” according to a press release from the governor’s office.
Oklahoma, a state with the second highest incarceration rate in the U.S., has been pursuing criminal justice reform in recent years. While Stitt, the former CEO of a mortgage group, is a Republican, efforts have come from both sides of the aisle to lessen incarceration. Udi Ofer, director of the Campaign for Smart Justice, said that “this is a classic example of a state where voters on the right and the left agree on the need for criminal justice reform.” The Pardon and Parole Board estimates that the release of these inmates will save an estimated $11.9 million.
The state had been working to secure a smooth transition for the freed inmates. Administrators ensured that inmates would leave with a state-issued driver’s license or ID, transferred money from trust funds to debit cards, and discharge medications. These measures will allow for a smoother transition back into society for these inmates.
This release, while the largest in history, is just under two percent of the total state prison population of 27,729. The statistic serves as a stark reminder of the scale of mass incarceration in America, but releases like these are glimmers of hope for the 2.2 million Americans imprisoned today.