The Oklahoma Bar Journal October 2024

B ar F oundation N ews

Bringing Justice Home for Mothers Facing Incarceration

F OR NEARLY THREE DECADES, Oklahoma has led the world in female incarceration rates per capita, a distinction that carries profound implications for individ uals, families and communities. The incarceration of a parent, especially a mother, often results in severe and long-lasting conse quences, including the traumatic separation of children from their parents. The nonprofit ReMerge was founded in 2011 to address the root cause of this issue. The Oklahoma Bar Foundation gives ReMerge an annual grant to support its rehabilitation and com prehensive support of high-risk and high-need mothers. Without sub stantial intervention, these women are unlikely to break free from the cycles of incarceration, addiction and poverty that have defined their lives. By prioritizing rehabilitation and family reunification over incarcera tion, ReMerge is helping to break the cycle of trauma and poverty while creating brighter futures for women and their children in Oklahoma. facing a seven-year prison sentence for drug trafficking, and her three children were placed in separate foster homes. This was a critical juncture for Jakeria and her fam ily. The pain of being separated from her children, particularly her twins, who had never been apart, motivated her to seek help. JAKERIA’S JOURNEY Jakeria, a ReMerge client, was

Jakeria and her family

60 | OCTOBER 2024

THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL