Oklahomans for the reform of the criminal justice talk about the proposed court fee and fine legislation | News

Tulsa, Okla. – Oklahomans for the reform of the criminal justice spoke about the question of people who served in prison, but are still imprisoned by court fees and fines.

Tess Jarvis, an ambassador for Oklahomans for the reform of the criminal justice, said Almost $ 50,000 in court fees.

“I did mine Crime, I served my Time, And I'm not saying that I am innocent. What I am Saging is that you not Recognize how many victims you are for the system and what money you are trying to get out of the population that it does not have, ”said Jarvis.

It is A problem that many Oklahomans are exposed to if you bring your life back to the right course after detention.

Michael Olson of Oklahomans for the reform of the criminal justice said it is important to consider the distinction between fines and fees.

“Fine is based on punishment and they are directly associated as a punishment for the crime and act as Ducklation agent, So you have to pay for this fine as part of your punishment. The fees, on the other hand, retain the court system, “said Olson.

He said that in this year's legislative meeting there are four legal templates to tackle the fees.

“These are all fees and I think we can agree that this reward for the use of financing model is similar to Netflix. People believe that they are the one to use for the service you should pay for it, but something like the court system or public security is really an advantage for everyone.

First, Olson said that House Bill 1492 priority to pay the refund. '

“Obviously, Oklahomans would say for the reform of criminal justice and most people in Oklahoma that this is a fair use of money to make the victim the whole.

The house Bill 1462 would remove 16 fees, like many of these people not have to give the money.

Olson said Senate Bill 973 would eliminate The private collection of fines and fees. He said that the sheriffs can outsource the money collection to third parties, but with a 30 percent surcharge that the person has to pay.

Finally Olson said that the house bill in 1480 would match the youth system with the adult system.

He said that the families of the young person who had not committed were not assigned fees.

Jarvis said these bills concern things that have affected their everyday life since she was released.

“It shows that there is light at the end of the tunnel and the works and the people who take care of it are changing,” said Jarvis.

Now Jarvis has made it a mission to help others with the same paperwork.

“I helped a few dozen people. It is a way to represent yourself and I did it for myself,” said Jarvis. “It enables people to know that they have a say in their own future.”

Jarvis said she was released in March 2024, has been sober for three years and worked on getting her cosmetology license back while working full -time.

She said she felt called to continue the advocacy for women and plan to maintain her master instructor license in cosmetology and re-tribes in the rise program.

Jarvis said she wanted to go back and teach women in the Eddie Warrior Correctional Center in Taft.

As for the legislative periods in this legislative period, House Bill made it into the house floor in 1462. House Bill 1460 is taken into account during the budget discussion and, if it goes by, must be part of the state's next budget.

House Bill 1480 is waiting for a vote in the Senate. The draft law of Senate 973 is waiting to be heard in the committee.