Oct. 27—Oklahoma’s crime charge grew to become a current political story throughout a debate final week between Gov. Kevin Stitt and challenger Joy Hofmeister, who’s working as a Democrat.
Hofmeister made the declare that Oklahoma’s crime statistics are increased than New York and California below Stitt’s watch. The governor was stunned by the remark and even mocked Hofmeister for it. However, some truth checking confirmed that the state’s crime charge, certainly, is increased than each these Democrat-controlled states.
Oklahoma has a increased murder charge and better charges of violent and property crime than New York or California, in keeping with FBI statistics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Frontier, a news group that launched a truth test of the controversy, identified that Oklahoma has led California and New York in these classes for almost 20 years.
However, there’s extra to the story, and there are extra nuances to those statistics. A CNHI report exhibits that Oklahoma’s violent crime charge has dropped greater than 5% in the previous 12 months, however nonetheless stays increased than the nationwide common.
CNHI reported except a slight bump in 2020 through the top of the COVID-19 pandemic, Oklahoma’s violent crime charge has been declining since 2018, stated Felicity Rose, director of analysis and coverage with FWD, a bipartisan group that advocates for prison justice reform.
Rose’s evaluation of 2021 FBI crime information discovered that in 2021, in Oklahoma there have been 434.0 violent crimes per 100,000 folks. That’s a 5.36% drop from 2020, and an total drop of 4.67% from 2016 to 2021.
The nationwide common in 2021 was 379.8 violent crimes per 100,000. The nationwide charge decreased 4.68% from the 12 months prior and 4.44% from 2016 to 2021.
The different statistic is that Oklahoma has one of many highest incarceration charges in the nation, one thing that has been addressed by reforms making an attempt to decrease the incarceration charge for low-level offenders.
Crime definitely has been an issue nationally, significantly in massive cities and in addition with the excessive variety of mass shootings we’ve seen throughout the nation — and even in Oklahoma — this previous 12 months.
However, Oklahoma’s crime charge hasn’t been a sizzling button issue. In truth, prison justice reform is supported by nearly all of Oklahomans. Recent polling confirmed that 64% of Oklahoma voters favored candidates more likely to assist prison justice reforms.
And, the discount in crime is paralleling the discount in incarceration charges. Since 2016, the state’s total crime charge has fallen over 12.6% and the jail inhabitants dropped about 21.1%.
Is this proof that jail populations will be safely decreased and truly be a a part of enhancing public security as effectively? Supporters of prison justice reform efforts in Oklahoma hope so.
While Oklahoma is and sure will proceed to be a law-and-order state, crime doesn’t look like a main political issue for 2022.
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