The Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs is undertaking a major shift in culture away from being a corrections’ system to more of a mental health and treatment agency.
A Mobile-Video Answer to a Mental Health Crisis
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Law enforcement agencies are bearing much of the brunt of dealing with mentally ill people in crisis. But a unique new program is trying to take some of that burden away from police and prevent the mentally ill from unnecessarily ending up in jail.
For a Child’s Holiday, a Video from Prison
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As families and friends become one for the holidays, thousands of children remain separated from their incarcerated parents. Private groups try to connect parents and children.
Recycling in Oklahoma: Rubbish or Success?
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Eight years ago Oklahoma set a goal of recycling 10 percent of its solid waste, and recycling programs have sprouted up or expanded across the state. But is Oklahoma meeting its objective?
The ‘Teachers Caucus’: Game Changer or Quixotic Quest?
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As the election approaches in Oklahoma, one of the big questions is whether many of the educators running for the Legislature for the first time will win or lose. An Oklahoma Watch radio report spotlights the campaigns of three of these political rookies.
The Scourge of Meth Returns
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The methamphetamine scourge is spreading again in Oklahoma, with fatal overdoses from the drug spiking last year, according to numbers from the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs.
Undervalued Properties Cost Schools Tens of Millions Per Year
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As Oklahoma schools prepare to start classes, they are wrestling with the challenges of the budget crunch. But the pain might be less if counties collected more school taxes lost because of wrongly assessed property values.
Local Authorities Continue Card Scanner Seizures
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Although the governor suspended an Oklahoma Highway Patrol program allowing troopers to seize funds loaded on to prepaid debit cards, the practice hasn’t stopped at the local level.
For Many Oklahomans, Storm Shelters Are Too Costly or Too Far Away
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Even with government subsidy programs, in-home storm shelters are out of financial reach for many Oklahomans. The state’s largest cities also don’t provide community storm shelters.
A Sobering Evaluation from Prisons Chief
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Interim Oklahoma Corrections Department chief Joe Allbaugh faces seemingly intractable problems in the prison system. He has ideas for changes and says he is decisive.
Schools Battle Chronic Absenteeism
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As Oklahoma’s school districts feel the impact of millions of dollars in budget cuts this year and next, many are dealing with the persistent issue of absenteeism.