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Victims
    & Offenders

Look at the
NUMBERS

Oklahoma's prison population continues to grow at an alarming rate.  According to the non-profit organization Prison Policy Initiative, who tracks multiple data points tied to mass criminalization and its harm on society, Oklahoma has tripled it's prison population and more than doubled those in jail since 1978.

What do we see?

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      This leads to Oklahoma having one of the highest per capita incarceration rates in the world. We also have one of the largest populations of incarcerated women in the country. Unfortunately, like most of the country, these numbers disproportionately affect people of color. While representing just 7% of the total population of Oklahoma, black Oklahomans make up over 25% of the prison and jail population.
      With over 75,000 Oklahomans in the criminal justice system, there is a desperate need for intervention. Simply put, the current system is not working. The idea that harsh punishment is a deterrent to committing crimes is demonstrably false. If it were working, we would surely see a drop in recidivism rates. However, this is not the case. A 2018 publication following 24 states across 10 years found that 66% of justice involved individuals were arrested within 3 years of release, and that by 10 years that percentage rose to 82%. This hasn't stopped Oklahoma from becoming increasingly severe in its sentencing, with an increase in average sentencing being 83%.

Offenders Families Testimonials

“I felt like she let me down again, she promised she wouldn’t. I felt like she wouldn’t be able to be there for me and I couldn’t trust her anymore. I suffered disappointment, sadness and hurt. You should think about it affecting their family, not only emotionally, but physically too."

10-yo Female who's Mother is Incarcerated - March 19

   "I have a dream that we won’t have to talk about ‘restorative justice’ because it will be understood that true justice is about restoration, and about transformation. I have a dream."

Howard Zehr

We provide transformation tools that cultivate trust among offenders those who serve them.

      We offer institutional and community  programming that serves the needs of victims, offenders, and the community.  We provide effective and evidence-based programming and forensic peer support ,  This work is currently being done in Nebraska Correctional Institutions, Douglas County Jail, Lancaster County Jail, Nebraska communities and with Nebraska Probation Reporting Centers statewide.  We are excited to partner with Jim Jones, founder of Community Justice Center in Lincoln, Nebraska. 

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      The current criminal justice system has led to high rates of incarceration and recidivism.  Our work is creating massive change and promoting healing and changed behavior for people and communities.  CJC has served over 9,000 justice-involved individuals. 

 

                               Our Impact: 

 

  1. Only 19% of incarcerated persons  recidivate between 1-3 years of release.

  2. Individuals on probation are 3 times less likely to reoffend

  3. 50% of participants showed empathy regarding harm to their victims.

  4. 60% of participants describe themselves as engaged and motivated.

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                           Our Work: 

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               âœ“  Reduces recidivism for increased public safety

           âœ“  Elevates victims voices through our “surrogate” victim harm statements

           âœ“  Reduces the collateral effects of crime on families and communities

           âœ“  Models Restorative Justice and Restorative Living

           âœ“  Advocates to reduce mass incarceration and its effects 

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