OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma's Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate is a featured speaker in a rally to bring awareness to the state's high incarceration rate and tough criminal code.
The rally to end mass incarceration will be held Thursday at the state Capitol.
Democratic State Sen. Connie Johnson of Oklahoma City is among a group of speakers at the event, which also will include family members of prisoners serving long sentences.
Oklahoma has some of the strictest criminal penalties in the country, particularly for drug crimes. The state consistently ranks in the top five for its overall incarceration rate and has locked up a greater percentage of women than any other state for more than a decade.
A free screening of a documentary titled "The House I Live" will follow.