Governor Mary Fallin just signed the strongest, most pro-safety plan Oklahoma has seen in recent history. This law will chart a new, smarter course for how Oklahoma does justice -- curbing the growing prison population while improving public safety.

The inmate population in Oklahoma has grown over 17 percent in the last decade. In an interview by NewsOK, Governor Fallin said of the prison reform measure:

“In addition to lowering crime rates, reducing the incarceration rate and giving law enforcement more resources to fight crime, this bill will help us to save taxpayer dollars by helping our corrections system operate in a more efficient and effective way.”

Justice Fellowship brought together a broad coalition of government leaders, pastors and business leaders to pass these criminal justice reforms.

Oklahoma’s HB 3052 will ease prison overcrowding and save money by:

--Establishing a grant program to fund crime-reduction initiatives by local law enforcement agencies; requires at least nine months of post-release supervision of all felons, which will reduce the recidivism rate;

--Establishing a risk, mental health and substance abuse assessments and evaluations before convicted felons are sentenced;

--Developing intermediary revocation facilities for nonviolent offenders who violate drug court regulations or conditions of probation and parole.

NewsOK also reports the bill is expected to save $170 million in the next ten years and provide $40 million to law enforcement agencies. This cost savings will help pay for technology and targeting strategies – like hot-spot policing -- that increases police presence in high-crime areas. These strategies are proven in other states to prevent and reduce crime.

Justice Fellowship works to reform the criminal justice system so victims are respected, offenders are transformed and reintegrated, and communities are safer. Oklahoma’s new law will do exactly that.

Oklahoma joins the growing list of states like Georgia, Kentucky, Colorado, South Carolina, Maryland and Ohio that are rethinking how to increase safety and save taxpayers’ dollars.

Governor Nathan Deal signed a criminal justice reform bill into law yesterday. This law will change how Georgia punishes nonviolent offenders—reserving prison beds for the most violent criminals.

Justice Fellowship succeeded in Georgia with a broad coalition of government officials, law enforcement professionals, pastors and business leaders to pass criminal justice reforms. We couldn’t have done it without those who answered our call and contacted state legislators to demand justice reform NOW!

Craig DeRoche, Justice Fellowship’s Director of External Affairs, attended Governor Deal’s signing ceremony. DeRoche remarked, "Governor Deal spoke from his heart as he signed the most comprehensive improvements to public safety and the Georgia criminal justice system in several decades." 

This bill will change the way Georgia does criminal justice. Rather than simply warehousing people in prison—which is expensive and ineffective—Governor Deal and leaders have “moved Georgia toward improving public safety through accountability and a focus on programs shown to reduce crime, break addictions and respect victims,” said DeRoche.

Georgia's HB 1176 is unique in that it reforms the system while cutting spending and maintaining public safety. Justice Fellowship’s president Pat Nolan said of the bill, “It will focus the criminal justice system on incarcerating those who are truly dangerous, while punishing low-risk offenders without the great expense of incarceration.”

Justice Fellowship works to reform the criminal justice system so victims are respected, offenders are transformed and reintegrated, and communities are safer. Georgia’s new law does exactly that. The new law will add Georgia to the growing list of states like Kentucky, Colorado, South Carolina, Maryland and Ohio that are rethinking how to increase safety and save taxpayers’ dollars.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that reforms from House Bill 1176 are projected to save Georgia taxpayers $264 million over the next five years.

In a speech prior to the ceremony, Governor Deal said of this new law:

"As we reserve more of our expensive [prison] bed space for truly dangerous criminals [we] free up revenue to deal with those who are not necessarily dangerous but are in many ways in trouble because of various addictions…Our system is feeding on itself with our recidivism rate being as high as it is. We have the opportunity now to make a difference in the lives of future generations of Georgians."

Key reforms from the bill:

--Focus prison space on violent and career criminals by establishing graduated penalties for several property and drug crimes;

--Reduce recidivism by strengthening probation and accountability courts that target offenders with substance abuse and mental health problems;

--Relieve local jail crowding by reducing delays in the transfer of jail inmates to state facilities;

--Hold corrections agencies accountable for better results through data collection and performance measurement systems.

Visit Criminal Justice in the States for more information on Georgia and additional state reform efforts.

Evangelical Christianity lost one of its most eloquent and influential voices on Saturday, April 21, 2012 with the passing of Charles W. “Chuck” Colson. After a brief illness, Colson passed away at a Northern Virginia hospital with his wife and family at his bedside.

Colson journeyed from obstructing justice to justice reform -- spending almost four decades as a champion for prison ministry, criminal justice reform and worldview teaching.

Justice Fellowship was founded by Colson in 1983 as an outgrowth of his ministry in prisons, Prison Fellowship. As he worked to help prisoners transform through the truth and power of Jesus Christ, Colson realized a second emphasis was also needed -- to help transform the injustices within our criminal justice system.

Colson’s call for alternative punishments for non-violent offenders was often effective because Colson’s conservative credentials enabled him to line up conservative legislators in support of what had traditionally been seen as a liberal set of reforms.

Colson’s advocacy for prisoners’ rights took an additional form when he and Justice Fellowship were at the forefront lobbying legislators to support the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, the Religious Liberty Protection Act, and the Prison Rape Elimination Act.

Justice Fellowship is proud to carry on Chuck Colson’s legacy of fighting to reform the criminal justice system so victims are respected, offenders are transformed and reintegrated, and communities are safer.

Justice Fellowship President Pat Nolan posted on his Facebook page upon hearing of the passing of Mr. Colson: 

“My dear friend and mentor Chuck Colson has just passed on to be with our Savior. Oh, how I will miss him. But I am very grateful for the last 15 years that I was able to work with one of the true pillars of the Church.”

Please take a moment and watch the video Chuck Colson Remembered and visit ChuckColson.org.