Stitt office touts criminal justice accomplishments

Gov. Kevin Stitt signed 774 commutations, 290 pardons and 101 paroles during his first year in office, his office announced Tuesday.

In November, Stitt signed off on what officials said was the largest single-day commutation in U.S. history, commuting the sentences of 523 nonviolent drug and property offenders who were eligible for an expedited commutation process under a recent law change. The move came as a culmination of a years-long criminal justice reform effort in the state.

“This has been a historic year for criminal justice reform in Oklahoma,” Stitt said in a statement Tuesday. “Under new leadership in the Oklahoma Department of Corrections and at the Pardon and Parole Board, the Board' s favorable recommendations increased by 225% over last year. I applaud everyone' s hard work and thorough management of a significant increase in casework without needing additional funds."

During his first year in office, Stitt issued an executive order to tackle the issue of contraband cellphones in state prisons, worked with the Legislature to provide correctional officers with a $2 an hour pay increase and pass licensing reform legislation.

Stitt said in the statement Tuesday that his administration "remains committed to pursuing bold changes in criminal justice reform" during the next few years, including re forming the criminal code and changing the culture in state prisons.