Juvenile Justice

12.23.16

Curbing School Harassment

By James Kosmatka

In the weeks following the election, reported incidents of harassment in schools have skyrocketed. Students have been targeted as the result of their race, religion, sexuality, and gender identity, echoing the hateful and divisive campaign rhetoric of the past year. Given the impact that harassment can have on students’ education and mental health, schools must take seriously their legal obligation to “provide a nondiscriminatory environment that is conducive to learning” for all students.

01.15.16

Discrimination Shouldn’t Be Part of the Dress Code

By Cassie Chenoweth

Cassie Chenoweth is a high school intern with the ACLU of Ohio.

While many people around the world are rightly taking a stand against discrimination based on race, gender, or sexual orientation, among others, we sometimes miss how discrimination works through cultural elements like vernacular or clothing style.

09.07.15

Seclusion and Restraint Guidelines Now Apply to Ohio’s Charter Schools

By Shakyra Diaz

This school year, all of Ohio’s public school children now have the same rights and protections when it comes to the use of seclusion and restraints. It’s been three years in the making.

Investigative Reporting

In August 2012, The Columbus Dispatch and StateImpact Ohio, a collaborative of Ohio NPR stations WCPN, WKSU, and WOSU, launched, “Locked Away,” an investigation into restraint and seclusion practices in Ohio schools.

08.17.15

Judges Call on Courts to Stop Shackling Youth

By Shakyra Diaz

Recently, the oldest judicial membership organization in the country joined other professional juvenile and social justice groups in calling for an end to the automatic shackling of youth in juvenile court.

The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges recently affirmed what many advocates have been saying for years that the automatic use of restraints in juvenile court should stop.

10.27.14

Shackling: Ohio Juvenile Courts Should Have Rules on Restraints

By Shakyra Diaz

This is the third in a series of posts on the topic of juvenile shackling.

This is Nate P. and I’m writing you this letter to let you know that cuffs and shackles make me feel like a criminal, not a “juvenile delinquent.” Shackles hurt and embarrass me most of the time.

10.02.14

Worse Than Adults: The Shackling of Youth in Juvenile Court

By Shakyra Diaz

This is the second in a series of posts on the topic of juvenile shackling.

“I have worn physical restraints while in the court room and meeting with my attorney. It doesn’t make you feel like anybody really cares about you and you are being treated like an animal.

09.24.14

You Are Never Too Young To Ask For an Attorney

By Shakyra Diaz

“We are only 14 years old. We aren’t thinking about lawyers,” a teen declared in the middle of a presentation I was giving at his high school.

The topic of the presentation is based on the ACLU of Ohio’s publication What To Do If You’re Stopped By the Police.