OKLAHOMA CITY — On Wednesday, June 29, the House minority caucus chair filed an interim study proposal to examine compensation for wrongful criminal convictions.
Representative Cyndi Munson, D-OKC, says she plans to use the proposed study to evaluate current laws and procedures regarding financial and non-financial compensations to individuals who are wrongfully convicted and subsequently wrongfully incarcerated.
Munson says she has always had an interest in addressing criminal justice policies within Oklahoma, mainly because of the state's high incarceration numbers.
"We continue to rank at the top of the list when it comes to the number of people who are incarcerated per capita," said Munson.
Munson explained that although the state has worked on multiple criminal justice reform measures which helped in decreasing prison population and getting Oklahomans back into their communities, there is still more to be done.
“The penalty to the state for wrongfully convicting and incarcerating someone should be compensatory to any citizen living and working in our communities,” Munson said. “With this study, we hope to collect data to help drive this conversation in the legislature to increase accountability within our criminal justice system.”
Interim studies are approved by the Speaker of the House. Decisions on which studies are approved are expected no later than July 29, according to a press release.
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