By Rev. Shannon Fleck
Excerpt:
We believe that restorative justice is a far more faithful reflection of God’s will than punishment alone. We believe that accountability, restitution, compensation and public safety are outcomes that better serve the individual as well as communities. Often, addiction or mental health issues are the root cause of legal troubles. Further, prison makes bad situations worse and does not contribute to the restoration of the individual. It is imperative to provide treatment options for mental health and substance abuse rather than locking up people for low-level offenses. Oklahoma communities rejected this tough-on-crime approach by passing SQ 780 in 2016 and other smart sentencing reforms approved by legislators in 2018.