TULSA, OK -- 3/11/20 -- Sonya Pyles, 45, graduated in 2015 after 16 months in the program. She faced six years for petty larceny and possession with a felony enhancement. Now with three children and one grandchild, she is a project coordinator for Tulsa Lawyers for Children.
Women In Recovery is a diversion program designed for women who slip past state programs like Drug Court and are facing long prison sentences. It is a last chance for women who have charges that stem from addiction, trauma and abuse. The program is credited with reducing the female incarceration rate in Tulsa County by 52%.
Oklahoma incarcerates more people per capita than any other state, and incarcerates women at a rate that ranks second globally. However, bipartisan efforts at criminal justice reform have been making inroads and the state’s progress at decarceration is among the nation’s fastest.…by André Chung #_AC24697