THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL 34 | FEBRUARY 2026 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. addictive behaviors. During phase III, each young man is expected to maintain full-time employment, full-time school enrollment or part-time school and work. He will start moving toward independent living by transitioning out of the program house and paying his own rent. Regular counseling and support groups continue, alongside random drug tests to facilitate the maintenance of sobriety. Phase IV: Transition. Focus on independent living and becoming a prosocial member of the community, espousing the culture for a flourishing life. In this final phase, participants solidify their life skills for independent, financially stable, sober and crime-free living. To successfully graduate, participants must demonstrate at least 90 days of stable independent living and full-time, living-wage employment. Weekly check-ins with their case managers and individual therapy sessions continue. Once staff and the supervising judge determine the young man has met all program requirements, he “has earned the right to graduate and rejoin society as a better husband, father, citizen, and man.”13 Throughout all phases, 1st Step provides a wraparound, holistic support system. Core services include individual and group cognitive behavioral therapy, substance abuse treatment, life skills classes (e.g., financial literacy, parenting and nutrition), education support and job training/placement. Importantly, no violent or sexual offenders are admitted, ensuring the program’s community-based housing remains safe and focused on habilitation for nonviolent offenders with a high risk of recidivism and high life skills needs. By the end of the program, these men have not only begun their lifelong recovery from addiction and criminal thinking and behavior, but they have also typically earned a diploma or trade certification, secured employment, repaired relationships with family and became responsible fathers and citizens.14 CASE STUDY: OVERCOMING ADDICTION AND REBUILDING FAMILY Background One participant, a 24-year-old man, entered the 1st Step program following incarceration related to trafficking methamphetamine. Prior to his arrest, much of his life had been spent surviving on the streets, where selling drugs seemed like the only way forward. Having grown up without a father, he never learned what it meant to be one himself. Upon entering the program, he was separated from his young son and was uncertain about his future. Initially resistant to the structure and expectations of 1st Step, he seriously considered leaving shortly after release. Intervention Despite his hesitation, the participant remained in the 1st Step sober living environment and began to fully engage in habilitative programming. Through intensive counseling, group therapy and vocational readiness activities, he gradually confronted the root causes of his substance use and criminal behavior. He later reflected that the program not only gave him the tools to rebuild his own life but also restored him to his family: “1st Step gave my mother her son back, my grandparents their grandson back, and my children their father.” Outcomes During his time in the program, the participant secured stable employment with a local manufacturing company, where he has remained for four years. He reestablished a relationship with his biological son, regained custody and demonstrated a renewed commitment to fatherhood. While still enrolled, he married and created a supportive family environment, later adopting his wife’s daughter and forming a blended family. Since graduating in August 2021, he has maintained sobriety, housing and long-term employment. Beyond his personal achievements, he now also serves on the 1st Step program’s Board of Directors and mentors younger men currently enrolled. His story exemplifies the goals of habilitation: long-term recovery, family stability, economic self-sufficiency and meaningful community leadership.15 EVIDENCE OF IMPACT AND EFFECTIVENESS 1st Step has compiled an impressive record demonstrating the power of its habilitation approach. Outcome metrics show that participants rarely return to crime. From 2017 to 2025, graduates had a 92% success rate, meaning that only 8% of graduates reoffended or returned to incarceration, while saving Oklahoma taxpayers more than an estimated $3.3 million in incarceration costs. As of its eighth anniversary, the program roughly maintains the 92% success rate in keeping men out of prison. This is an extraordinary achievement in a state with historically high recidivism rates. Diverting these individuals from prison not only spares the public the direct costs of incarceration but also the indirect costs
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