FEBRUARY 2026 | 33 THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL Statements or opinions expressed in the Oklahoma Bar Journal are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Oklahoma Bar Association, its officers, Board of Governors, Board of Editors or staff. habilitation-driven diversion creates a positive ripple effect that benefits public safety, the economy and community well-being.9 CASE STUDY: THE 1ST STEP MALE DIVERSION PROGRAM1 One example of habilitation in action is 1st Step in Tulsa. Founded in 2016 by local justice leaders (two public defenders and a judge), it aims to stop the school-to-prison pipeline for young men through a formal program offering developmental guidance and opportunities needed to successfully enter emerging adulthood. 1st Step targets 18 to 30-year-old nonviolent male offenders with a high risk of reoffending and a need for habilitation skills. Eligible participants are court-diverted from incarceration into this intensive program under the supervision of a Tulsa County felony judge and professional staff. The mission is simple yet profound: “Keeping young men from prison by helping them build better lives.”10 Program Goals The overarching goal is to break the cycle of recidivism by achieving the developmental tasks missed in childhood and adolescence that contributed to these men’s offenses. It explicitly seeks to “stop the school to prison pipeline in Oklahoma for young men by providing necessary survival skills and services, facilitating the need for career opportunities and instilling positive behavior change for lifetime success.” Rather than condemning young offenders to a life of shame, exclusion and labels of second-class status, the program believes in giving them the tools to become productive, law-abiding members of society. In the words of its founder, David Phillips, the aim is that graduates “will be tax-paying, sober, independent young men supporting their families.” This vision resonates strongly with funders’ interests: It speaks to economic self-sufficiency, family stability and public safety.11 Program Structure The program is an 18 to 24-month, highly structured fourphase program. Participants live in a drug- and crime-free supervised residence. They must remain drugfree (verified by frequent random urine testing) over the entire program. They wear GPS ankle monitors to ensure avoidance of contact with criminal or addicted friends or family. In order to progress through higher phases, they must meet measurable milestones and demonstrate behavioral skills to program staff.12 Phase I: Stabilization. Focus on achieving a stable, scheduled, sober and crime-free living environment. Young men learn to avoid relapse into substance use or criminal behavior by identifying triggers and developing healthy coping skills. They learn that addiction and criminal thinking are dysfunctions of the brain that can be interrupted. During this phase, they may not work or drive. Their full attention is on recovery treatment and establishing a routine in a healthy living environment. Participants begin moral reconation therapy (MRT) using the How to Escape Your Prison curriculum to develop moral decision-making skills, emotional intelligence and plans for a flourishing life. Each week, they have one to two individual counseling sessions and several group process sessions. They engage in peer recovery classes and attend at least two 12-step or other community support group meetings to develop a virtuous approach to life. Although their schedules are full, they are encouraged to use their free time for personal self-improvement, socializing through sports and games and improving their physical conditioning by working out. Phase II: Engagement. When they have completed the stability milestone, the men move to demonstrating personal responsibility for their actions with more freedom and opportunities to make better choices. They may obtain part-time employment and begin to drive if they have a valid license. If they need a license, they will learn to drive and obtain one. Those without a high school diploma enroll in GED courses with support for improving study habits and encouragement in completing the courses. Cognitive behavioral therapy, group processing and community support sessions continue. Phase III: Maintenance. After completing the milestones for phase II, men begin to focus on demonstrating basic life skills, communication skills and emotional intelligence, parenting skills and sustained recovery from substance abuse and criminal behavior. They work on reunification with children and family, begin to implement the life goals planned in MRT and practice the spiritual principles for sustained recovery of forgiveness and making amends. Using a trauma- informed curriculum, participants delve deeper into the origin of their emotional dysfunction and develop skills for emotional coping, handling setbacks and understanding the triggers for unethical and criminal behavior or submitting to cravings for substances or
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