Alva Review-Courier -

In Oklahoma, it is more likely that people will come into contact with law enforcement than treatment. The Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services is grossly underfunded, as is the Department of Corrections. Budget cuts will only exacerbate Oklahoma’s mental health and addiction crises and will increase an already overpopulated criminal justice system.

Today, the Oklahoma Department of Corrections has 26,934 inmates incarcerated, another 1,347 awaiting reception and 34,932 offenders under supervision. Our prisons are at 110 percent of capacity. We are underfunded, understaffed...