News (Media Awareness Project) - US OK: Sentences Vary For Felonies |
| Title: | US OK: Sentences Vary For Felonies |
| Published On: | 2004-10-29 |
| Source: | Oklahoman, The (OK) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-01-17 20:32:52 |
SENTENCES VARY FOR FELONIES
Felony convictions in some Oklahoma counties are much more likely to result
in prison time than in other counties, a report issued by the Oklahoma
Criminal Justice Resource Center shows. Felony offenders in Comanche County
are sentenced to prison at a rate of 74.2 percent, a rate more than double
the median percentage for Oklahoma counties, the center said in the report
prepared for the Oklahoma Sentencing Commission and state Legislature.
The median percentage for Oklahoma is 36 percent, meaning half the counties
sentence felony offenders to prison at a higher rate and half the counties
sentence felony offenders to prison at a lower rate.
Offenders in three other counties -- Cotton, Kay and Grant -- are sentenced
to prison more than 60 percent of the time, while offenders in Creek,
Kingfisher, Alfalfa, Beaver, Tulsa and Stephens counties received prison
sentences more than 50 percent of the time.
The Justice Resource Center's report released Thursday did not list other
counties.
Kay County District Attorney Mark Gibson, called the report's findings dubious.
He said Kay County has high rates for reported sexual assaults and domestic
abuse situations, as well as a significant amount of methamphetamine activity.
Even so, Gibson disputed that 61.6 percent of the county's convicted felony
offenders were sent to prison during those three years. So far this year,
he said, 479 felony cases have been adjudicated in Kay County but only 130
of those cases, involving fewer than 85 defendants, resulted in prison time.
Gibson questioned whether one offender who pleaded guilty to eight felonies
had been counted eight times by the resource center in its data.
Bigger issues also play into those numbers, members of the Sentencing
Commission said Thursday.
Many of the counties, members noted, are near or along major highway
corridors where drug task forces have been busy and arrest rates have been
heavy.
The report approved Thursday also showed the highest percentage of prison
sentences are for drug crimes.
Felony convictions in some Oklahoma counties are much more likely to result
in prison time than in other counties, a report issued by the Oklahoma
Criminal Justice Resource Center shows. Felony offenders in Comanche County
are sentenced to prison at a rate of 74.2 percent, a rate more than double
the median percentage for Oklahoma counties, the center said in the report
prepared for the Oklahoma Sentencing Commission and state Legislature.
The median percentage for Oklahoma is 36 percent, meaning half the counties
sentence felony offenders to prison at a higher rate and half the counties
sentence felony offenders to prison at a lower rate.
Offenders in three other counties -- Cotton, Kay and Grant -- are sentenced
to prison more than 60 percent of the time, while offenders in Creek,
Kingfisher, Alfalfa, Beaver, Tulsa and Stephens counties received prison
sentences more than 50 percent of the time.
The Justice Resource Center's report released Thursday did not list other
counties.
Kay County District Attorney Mark Gibson, called the report's findings dubious.
He said Kay County has high rates for reported sexual assaults and domestic
abuse situations, as well as a significant amount of methamphetamine activity.
Even so, Gibson disputed that 61.6 percent of the county's convicted felony
offenders were sent to prison during those three years. So far this year,
he said, 479 felony cases have been adjudicated in Kay County but only 130
of those cases, involving fewer than 85 defendants, resulted in prison time.
Gibson questioned whether one offender who pleaded guilty to eight felonies
had been counted eight times by the resource center in its data.
Bigger issues also play into those numbers, members of the Sentencing
Commission said Thursday.
Many of the counties, members noted, are near or along major highway
corridors where drug task forces have been busy and arrest rates have been
heavy.
The report approved Thursday also showed the highest percentage of prison
sentences are for drug crimes.
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