Court reforms poised to reduce justice-system repercussions

Originally published in The Journal Record: Melissa Walton is the executive director of the Oklahoma County Criminal Justice Advisory Council.

Few fights truly worth fighting come easy. Justice reform is no exception, but this year has made way for long-term changes that will better serve our community for generations to come. Recent reforms, specifically in Oklahoma County Courts, are directly strengthening communities and contributing to a better local labor market.

For the first time, The Supreme Court of Oklahoma is implementing automated text reminders for court dates. This simple, cost-effective tool has the potential for transformative change. Research shows that the failure-to-appear rate drops by about 20% when courts can offer simple reminders. In almost every state, failure-to-appear results in warrants and potentially jail time. These text reminders help prevent failure-to-appear warrants, which can easily derail employment, housing, and family stability. Removing unnecessary barriers and reducing technical violations helps the county keep more residents working, earning, and participating productively in the local economy. This is an exciting development and we have much to look forward to as we monitor warrant rates over the next few years.

Looking to positive developments in the future, Oklahoma is preparing to implement the Clean Slate Initiative. This will automate the clearing of certain criminal records for people who have remained crime-free after a conviction or arrest. Clearing old, low-level convictions removes a major obstacle to employment and housing. The overwhelming majority of employers, landlords and even universities examine candidates’ criminal histories, placing folks who have grown and made major changes in their lives at a permanent disadvantage. Clean Slate is fundamentally about forgiveness—ensuring that a single mistake does not permanently sideline our friends and neighbors’ potential, or further impact the larger community by limiting the region’s economic potential.

Read the full opinion editorial here.