Oklahoma’s indigent defense system seems perpetually on the verge of crisis, as attorneys often find themselves in “triage” mode trying to provide representation to low-income defendants.
Law Giving More Defendants Lawyers Has Downside
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A new law intended to give defendants a fairer chance in the justice system is proving a double-edged sword.
Rape Counts Keep Rising Even as Police Clear Fewer Cases
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The number of reported rapes and attempted rapes in Oklahoma climbed for the seventh consecutive year in 2018, reaching its highest level in at least 20 years, new data shows.
What Comes Next After Opioid Ruling?
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Cleveland County District Judge Thad Balkman awarded the state of Oklahoma $572 million to address the effects of the opioid epidemic. But questions remain over how, when and whether Oklahoma will get a chance to spend the money.
In Rural Areas, a Ceaseless Struggle to Get Domestic Abuse Victims to Testify
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The slaying of a woman in a southeast Oklahoma town points to a dilemma that district attorneys in Oklahoma wrestle with on a continuing basis: When a domestic violence victim refuses to cooperate in prosecuting an alleged abuser, should prosecutors pursue the case anyway?
Reported Rapes Climb, But Many Sexual Assaults Still Go Undisclosed
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In the decade of the #MeToo movement and widespread revelations of sexual abuse, more women are reporting incidents of sexual assault to authorities, studies show. But the era of silence isn’t over. In this mixed-media report, Oklahoma Watch examines the continuing problem of the significant underreporting of sexual assaults.
Strangulation of Women Is Common, Chilling – and Often a Grim Harbinger
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Strangulation of women is a persistent and increasingly reported form of violence in Oklahoma, with hundreds of cases reported annually. It is not always fatal, but it is terrifying, can cause long-term injuries and is known to be a precursor to homicide.
Five Questions Surrounding Criminal Justice Reform Bills
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This year’s criminal justice reform measures include changing bail bonds, making State Question 780 retroactive and giving greater clarity to prosecutors on when to charge drug possession with intent to distribute. Here are five questions surrounding the bills.
Video: ‘Watch-Out’ Forum on Guns in Oklahoma
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Panelists at an “Oklahoma Watch-Out” forum clashed over a wide range of issues related to whether more gun rights or gun restrictions should be passed in Oklahoma. Watch the video.
Upcoming ‘Watch-Out’ Forum: The Gun Debate
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Oklahoma Watch will sponsor a public forum April 23 on the issue of gun rights versus gun controls, featuring panelists from two organizations with opposing views.
Pardon and Parole Board Approves First Inmates for Streamlined Parole
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The state Pardon and Parole Board on Wednesday approved the first group of inmates for a new, streamlined parole. The process, called administrative parole, could be a first measure of how much a board composed mostly of Gov. Kevin Stitt’s appointees will embrace changes intended to relieve Oklahoma’s overcrowded prisons.