Last spring, we shared exciting news: the NFL Foundation awarded Appleseed a two-year, three-state grant to transform the way the criminal-legal system responds to women who have survived abuse. Today, we want to update you on how that work is unfolding in Oklahoma, Missouri, and Alabama, and why this investment is already opening doors that had been shut for decades.
Oklahoma: Survivors Are Finally Being Heard
In Oklahoma, where the 2024 Survivors’ Act created a path to resentencing for survivors of domestic violence and trafficking, Oklahoma Appleseed is deep into implementation:
- 30 clients are currently represented by Oklahoma Appleseed and partner attorneys.
- One client, Lisa Moss, was released after serving 34 years in prison.
- Five pro bono lawyers are now being trained to take on Survivors’ Act cases, building sustainable legal capacity statewide.
One client told the team, “It means so much just to be believed.” Her case was the first time the court formally recognized the abuse she endured.
→ Read: The Abuse-to-Prison Pipeline: Five Ways Survivors Can be Criminalized | Oklahoma Appleseed
Missouri: Data That Can Change the Law
Missouri Appleseed is building the first statewide picture of how abuse drives women into the criminal system:
- The Missouri Department of Corrections has begun reviewing plans to survey incarcerated women, and some county jails have already confirmed their participation in the survey.
- Missouri Appleseed is pursuing approval from an Institutional Review Board (IRB) for the research.
- A survey has been developed and reviewed by a focus group of criminalized survivors.
This data will support efforts to develop legislation based on the Oklahoma Survivors’ Act and other justice initiatives. There are approximately 5,000 women who are incarcerated in Missouri, many of whom may be impacted by this work.
Alabama: Lifting Up Voices the System Ignored
Alabama Appleseed is launching the state’s first investigations into criminalized survivors:
- Alabama Appleseed has surveyed 22 incarcerated women who have reached out for support and conducted in-person legal visits with 9 incarcerated women so far.
- Three women have been identified for representation in upcoming parole hearings.
For many of these women, this is the first time anyone has recognized that their incarceration is rooted in surviving violence. This work will support an investigation into how many of the 2,400 women incarcerated in Alabama are serving sentences for crimes that were a result of domestic abuse.
What’s Ahead
In the coming months, we’ll keep you updated as more Oklahoma survivors move toward resentencing and release, Missouri Appleseed publishes its first statewide findings, and Alabama Appleseed elevates cases that could drive legislative reform.
Thank you for standing with us, and with the survivors of domestic violence at the heart of this initiative.
