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Founded in 1920, the ACLU is a non-profit, non-partisan membership organization with affiliates in all 50 states dedicated to defending and expanding the civil liberties of all Americans. The following community forums were hosted by the ACLU of Ohio, and are offered here as a public service for those interested in learning more about individual rights. Programs feature community leaders, scholars, and activists sharing their expertise and unique perspectives in specific areas of civil liberties. To watch our video podcasts, click here. 11.14.11Press Conference: ACLU Announces Representation of Family of Unionoto High School Assault VictimJoin the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio as it announces that it will represent the family of a Unioto High School student who was assaulted because of his sexual orientation. 
11.10.11Take It To The Streets: The Occupy Movement and Free Speech - ClevelandThis country was built on dissent, yet permit schemes and “reasonable” time, place and manner restrictions have increasingly restrained free speech. Now, proposed legislation may chill the use of social media to organize dissent. Join the ACLU of Ohio, members of the Occupy Movement, and constitutional and criminal defense attorneys in a discussion about movement-building and the First Amendment.
10.26.11Protect and Serve: The Impact of Police Practices - ClevelandDo you feel safe in your community? Do you think that the actions of your police department make things better, or worse? Join the ACLU of Ohio for a program featuring Dr. Ronnie Dunn and Commander James Copeland to discuss building safe communities and ensuring police accountability.
10.02.11Justice Voters: The 2011 Ed Likover Memorial Lecture - ClevelandIs it possible to get a fair trial in Ohio? It depends. Currently, guilt or innocence may not factor as heavily in sentencing as the defendant’s socioeconomic status, the prosecutor, or the judge. Join Tim Young, director, Office of the Ohio Public Defender, for a discussion of how we can help build a better criminal justice system.
09.27.11Word Warriors: Banned Brilliance of African American Authors - ClevelandBooks by African American authors that highlight inequality have been banned or challenged in many libraries, classrooms, and communities, often because of concerns that they will “inspire racial tensions.” Join the ACLU of Ohio and Karamu House for Word Warriors: Banned Brilliance of African American Authors, as community leaders read with passion from select works by these treasured African American intellectuals and writers. Banned Brilliance is part of Banned Books Week, the celebration of the freedom to read, which was launched in response to a surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries.
08.10.11Who’s Knocking? Gaining Access to Subsidised Housing - ClevelandHit hard by the foreclosure crisis, unemployment crisis and a large reentry population, many Clevelanders are facing a housing crisis. Unfortunately, individuals searching for low-income housing in the U.S. face barriers that too often prove insurmountable. Join Maria Smith, Housing Unit supervising attorney, Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, to examine barriers to subsidized housing and the progress being made to give individuals more access. This is the fifth and final presentation in the 2011 Brown Bag Lecture Series. View the entire series here.
08.03.11It Takes a Village to Incarcerate a Child - ClevelandAll kids make mistakes. However, financially disadvantaged youth are often penalized more severely in our justice system. Join Jill Beeler, chief counsel, Juvenile Division, Office of the Public Defender, to discuss the challenges youth experience in the judicial system, especially when they do not have resources. This is the fourth presentation in the 2011 Brown Bag Lecture Series. View the entire series here.
07.27.11Zero Tolerance = Zero Education - ClevelandAcross the country, schools are increasingly sending students into the juvenile justice system for misbehavior that used to be handled by school administrators. Join Dr. Morris Jenkins, chair of the Department of Criminal Justice and Social Work at the University of Toledo, for a discussion of the “school to prison pipeline”, the national trend to funnel students out of public schools and into the juvenile and criminal justice systems. This is the third presentation in the 2011 Brown Bag Lecture Series. View the entire series here.
07.20.11Can’t Pay, Can’t Vote: Ohio Blocks the Vote - ClevelandRecent changes to Ohio’s election laws will make it harder for all of us to vote. Join Carrie Davis, ACLU of Ohio staff attorney, to prepare for the next election and ensure your vote counts. This is the second presentation in the 2011 Brown Bag Lecture Series. View the entire series here.
07.13.11Justice For Some: Institutional Barriers to Defense - ClevelandIn theory, our justice system is designed to ensure a fair trial for every defendant. In practice, there are two justice systems in Ohio: one for the wealthy and one for those who are not. Merely having a limited income should not result in jail time, more serious convictions, or increased sentences. Join Tim Young, director, Office of the Ohio Public Defender, to examine Ohio’s indigent defense system and the barriers the financially disadvantaged encounter. This is the first presentation in the 2011 Brown Bag Lecture Series. View the entire series here. Click here to view the corresponding PowerPoint slideshow.  Justice For Some: Institutional Barriers to Defense [01:10:54m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
06.16.11Press Conference - Overcharging, Overspending, Overlooking: Cuyahoga County’s Costly War on Drugs - ClevelandOn June 16, 2011, the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio released “Overcharging, Overspending, Overlooking: Cuyahoga County’s Costly War on Drugs,” which examines the effects of the war on drugs on greater Cleveland. June 17 marked the 40th anniversary of President Richard Nixon’s declaring the war on drugs, which ushered in harsh criminal penalties for drug use.
05.26.11Capital Crisis: The Death Penalty in Ohio - ToledoThis presentation was part of the 2011 ACLU of Ohio Northwest Chapter Annual Dinner honoring the grassroots ONE Bowling Green coalition for its work to protect the City of Bowling Green housing, employment and non-discrimination ordinances during the 2010 November election, and features Jeff Gamso of Gamso, Helmick & Hoolahan, a highly regarded criminal defense attorney and anti-death penalty advocate whose remarks will focus on the state of Ohio’s death penalty.
05.23.11Block the Vote: The Return of Voter Suppression - DelawareJoin the ACLU of Ohio for a discussion of pending legislation that will leave the ballot box empty.
05.18.11Freedom Tour - Prisons for Profit: A Discussion of Prison Privatization - CambridgeJoin People for Effective & Safe Prisons for a panel discussion of prison privatization. Prisons for Profit: A Discussion of Prison Privatization [01:06:35m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
05.17.11Freedom Tour - Prisons for Profit: A Look at Prison Privatization - ChillicotheJoin People for Effective & Safe Prisons for a panel discussion of prison privatization. State legislators are considering a proposal to privatize and sell up to six Ohio prisons. While private prison operators promise states cost savings, various studies have called into question whether privatization saves any money at all. In addition, research has shown private prisons have higher incidences of assault, resist transparency and accountability, increase recidivism, and avoid paying taxes to local communities.
04.14.11Press Conference - Prisons for Profit: A Look at Prison Privatization - ColumbusSeveral studies have shown that prison privatization yields little or no cost savings to the state. Pennsylvania, Arizona, and Texas have all encountered serious cost and public safety problems after privatizing their prison systems. Join the ACLU of Ohio for a press conference introducing their new report, Prisons for Profit: A Look at Prison Privatization, outlining Ohio’s troubled history with private prisons.
04.03.11A Celebration of Harry Cagin - ClevelandJoin the ACLU of Ohio in conjunction with Givat Haviva Educational Foundation as we celebrate the life of Harry Cagin, who was a long-time supporter of patron of the The Sarah and Yaazov Eshel Peace Library at Givat Haviva in Israel.
12.03.10Spy Files - ClevelandJoin Mike German, former FBI agent and ACLU Washington Legislative Office’s policy counsel for national security and privacy, to learn more about the institutionalization of unconstitutional domestic surveillance programs. Secrecy abounds in the world of national security, and ambiguous lines of authority make ensuring accountability difficult. However, with the increased use of fusion centers, massive data mining operations, and other programs one thing is clear – our government has its eyes on us. The ACLU of Ohio and the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-Ohio) are sponsoring this brown bag lecture. A sixteen-year veteran of federal law enforcement, German served as a special agent with the FBI, where he specialized in domestic terrorism and covert operations. German left the FBI in 2004 as a whistleblower regarding counterterrorism operations.
10.17.10Holy Hullabaloos - ClevelandJoin the ACLU of Ohio at the 2010 Ed Likover Memorial Lecture, where noted author and law professor Jay Wexler will take a humorous look at religious liberty across the nation. A professor of law and religion since 2001, Jay Wexler worked at the Department of Justice in the Office of Legal Counsel for two years. His book Holy Hullabaloos is a humorous travelogue in the tradition of Sarah Vowell’s Assassination Vacation that explains the basics of church-state law.
09.30.10Books Behind Bars: Banned Brilliance of African American Authors - ColumbusJoin us for Banned Brilliance of African American Authors. American society ignores the incarceration system, refusing to acknowledge, confront or address problems that lead to the disproportional representation of African Americans in prisons. We are so reluctant to address incarceration issues that we ban books that talk about race and incarceration, particularly those written by African Americans, from library shelves, bookstores and classrooms. The ACLU of Ohio, the King Arts Complex, and the OSU Department of African American and African Studies Community Extension Center will reveal the cracks in the criminal justice system with Books Behind Bars: Banned Brilliance of African American Authors. This program weaves together facts about Ohio’s justice system with readings from banned literary works which discuss incarceration. Books Behind Bars: Banned Brilliance of African American Authors - Columbus [01:06:20m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
09.29.10Books Behind Bars: Banned Brilliance of African American Authors - ClevelandAmerican society ignores the incarceration system. We refuse to acknowledge the problems in the system that lead to the disproportional representation of African Americans in prisons, refuse to do anything to change that system, and even refuse to have books that talk about race and incarceration written by African Americans on library shelves, bookstores and classrooms. Join the ACLU of Ohio and Karamu House for selected readings from banned and challenged works that provide cultural commentary on incarceration. Readers include:
Books Behind Bars: Banned Brilliance of African American Authors - Cleveland [01:22:11m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
08.17.10Press Conference: Reform Cannot Wait - ColumbusOn August 17, 2010, the ACLU of Ohio released a new report entitled “Reform Cannot Wait: A Comprehensive Examination of the Cost of Incarceration in Ohio from 1991-2010.” The report reveals that our criminal justice system is riddled with inefficient policies that increase cost, reduce safety, and contribute to racial disparities. State Senator Bill Seitz (R-Cincinnati) and Senator Nina Turner (D-Cleveland) joined the ACLU of Ohio at a press conference announcing the release of the “Reform Cannot Wait” report.
08.04.10Black Power, Black Vote: An exploration of the Black Panther Party - ClevelandHear how student organizers from the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) helped to incorporate the fight for civil rights into the Black Power movement, changing the face of America for generations to come. Join Hasan Kwame Jeffries, assistant professor of history at The Ohio State University and the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, will discuss the evolution of the civil rights movement and activism today. This is the sixth in the 2010 Brown Bag Lecture Series. View the entire series here. Prof. Jeffries’ new book, Bloody Lowndes: Civil Rights and Black Power in Alabama’s Black Belt, will be for sale at the event.
07.31.10Conference Plenary - Amy GoodmanAmy Goodman host of Democracy Now, on free speech, the first amendment, and the freedom of reporters to speak the truth. This session was offered as part of ACTION! A Conference for Civil Libertarians held July 30-31, 2010 in Columbus. Find conference highlights here.
Conference Plenary - Ethan NadelmannEthan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, talks about civil liberties and the war on drugs. This session was offered as part of ACTION! A Conference for Civil Libertarians held July 30-31, 2010 in Columbus. Find conference highlights here.
Pay to Play: Repercussions of Citizens United – ColumbusScott Greenwood and Daniel P. Tokaji discuss the outcome of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, which has many people believing the ruling allows corporations to contribute to political campaigns, and why the ACLU supported Citizens United. This session was offered as part of ACTION! A Conference for Civil Libertarians held July 30-31, 2010 in Columbus. Find conference highlights here.
Make Your Candidate a Civil Libertarian – ColumbusCatherine Turcer discusses skills and strategies you can use to make your next legislator meeting a success. This session was offered as part of ACTION! A Conference for Civil Libertarians held July 30-31, 2010 in Columbus. Find conference highlights here.
Immigration: What Does the Bill of Rights Have to Do With It? – ColumbusRobert Cohen and Marilyn Zayas-Davis discuss why we are using our limited resources to protect the rights of immigrants and why rights enumerated in the Constitution extend to everyone, not just citizens. This session was offered as part of ACTION! A Conference for Civil Libertarians held July 30-31, 2010 in Columbus. Find conference highlights here.
Advocacy in the Hallways: Creating Safe Schools for Everyone – ColumbusAngela Barstow and Jonathan Lykes discuss what you can do as a parent, educator, student, or community member to ensure all youth have a safe and fair learning environment. This session was offered as part of ACTION! A Conference for Civil Libertarians held July 30-31, 2010 in Columbus. Find conference highlights here.
Technology & Privacy: Civil Liberties in the Balance – ColumbusCraig Jaquith and Katherine Hunt Federle discuss the issues that evolving technology presents for criminal justice, free speech, and other civil liberties, including where the law is heading and how to protect your rights. Documents: This session was offered as part of ACTION! A Conference for Civil Libertarians held July 30-31, 2010 in Columbus. Find conference highlights here.
How to Win a Civil Liberties Argument – ColumbusFrank Kunstel discusses how to advocate for the civil liberties issues you care about. This workshop podcast has been edited to remove non-recordable audio from role-playing exercises presented during the session. Documents: This session was offered as part of ACTION! A Conference for Civil Libertarians held July 30-31, 2010 in Columbus. Find conference highlights here.
Dying in Vein – ColumbusJeffrey M. Gamso and Pamela Prude-Smithers discuss the ACLU’s opposition to capital punishment and the systemic problems with Ohio’s death penalty. Documents: This session was offered as part of ACTION! A Conference for Civil Libertarians held July 30-31, 2010 in Columbus. Find conference highlights here.
ACLU v. the Government – ColumbusMary Beth Tinker, David A. Goldberger, and James L. Hardiman discuss landmark ACLU lawsuits that have changed the lives of Ohioans. Documents: This session was offered as part of ACTION! A Conference for Civil Libertarians held July 30-31, 2010 in Columbus. Find conference highlights here.
Mecca Meets Main Street: The Changing Face of Religious Liberty – ColumbusJennifer Nimer and Richard Saphire discuss the balance of accommodating practitioners of Islam without endorsing a particular belief set. This session was offered as part of ACTION! A Conference for Civil Libertarians held July 30-31, 2010 in Columbus. Find conference highlights here.
Entry Denied – ColumbusReid Wood moderates a discussion about the artists, authors, and free thinkers denied entry to the U.S. for their ideology, including John Lennon, Nelson Mandela, and Pablo Neruda. This workshop includes information on how to host this program in your town. Documents: This session was offered as part of ACTION! A Conference for Civil Libertarians held July 30-31, 2010 in Columbus. Find conference highlights here.
Cost of Criminalization – ColumbusEthan Nadelmann and Edward Little discuss how decades of over-criminalization and tough-on-crime policies have cost our state and our nation. This session was offered as part of ACTION! A Conference for Civil Libertarians held July 30-31, 2010 in Columbus. Find conference highlights here.
Bringing the LGBT Rights Revolution to Your Town – ColumbusShane Morgan, Erin Upchurch, and Kim Welter discuss strategies to advance LGBT rights in your community. This session was offered as part of ACTION! A Conference for Civil Libertarians held July 30-31, 2010 in Columbus. Find conference highlights here.
Let’s Talk About Choice: Politics, Money, and Women’s Health – ColumbusLouise Melling discusses what you can do about government interference in women’s heath decisions. Topics include access to family planning, patents on the genes associated with breast cancer, and other health issues. This session was offered as part of ACTION! A Conference for Civil Libertarians held July 30-31, 2010 in Columbus. Find conference highlights here.
Pre-Prison: How Ohio Indicts the Young – ColumbusC. Antoinette [Toni] Clarke and Morris Jenkins discuss how to fight the criminalization of young people in your community. This session was offered as part of ACTION! A Conference for Civil Libertarians held July 30-31, 2010 in Columbus. Find conference highlights here.
Grading Obama: How Is the President Measuring Up on National Security? – ColumbusMike Gaynier and Gary Daniels discuss what President Obama has done, one year into his presidency, to roll back the civil liberties violations that marked the Bush years. This session was offered as part of ACTION! A Conference for Civil Libertarians held July 30-31, 2010 in Columbus. Find conference highlights here.
Hell Raising 101 – ColumbusMary Beth Tinker discusses how her decision to wear a black armband to school led to Tinker v. Des Moines, the landmark case that continues to protect student free speech. Documents: This session was offered as part of ACTION! A Conference for Civil Libertarians held July 30-31, 2010 in Columbus. Find conference highlights here.
07.28.10Immigration Myths: Separating fact from fiction - ClevelandFrustrated state and local governments have begun passing anti-immigrant legislation that amounts to little more than racial profiling and violates due process rights. Join Veronica Dahlberg, executive director of HOLA, a grassroots community-based Latino organization, for a conversation about the immigration challenges we are facing as a community and suggestions for effective reform. This is the fifth in the 2010 Brown Bag Lecture Series. View the entire series here.
07.21.10Profiling Islam: Faith under surveillance - ClevelandWhat does a terrorist look like? Unfortunately, in post 9/11 America, many in government and the media portray “terrorist” and “Muslim” as interchangeable identities. As a result, Muslims are often targets of racial, ethnic and religious profiling. Join Julia Shearson, executive director for the Cleveland chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Cleveland), for a discussion of religious profiling, national security, and religious freedom. This is the fourth in the 2010 Brown Bag Lecture Series. View the entire series here.
07.15.10Putting the “F” in Free Speech: Taboo Language and the First Amendment - ColumbusJoin us for a lively discussion with Christopher Fairman, law professor at Moritz College of Law, on the First Amendment and controversial words. The importance of protecting words — even the four-letter ones — is at the heart of Fairman’s most recent work, Fuck: Word Taboo and Protecting our First Amendment Liberties. Fairman is adamant that our government should keep out of the censorship business. He writes, “Words are ideas. If the government can control the words we say, it can also control what we think.”
07.14.10Overlooked: Accessibility, Inclusion and the Future of Equality for the Disabled - ClevelandTwenty years after the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) people living with physical and mental disabilities continue to be shunned and segregated in schools, housing and employment. Join Frank Hickman, principal of Hickman & Lowder Co., L.P.A., as he addresses the rights of persons with mental and physical disabilities. This is the third in the 2010 Brown Bag Lecture Series. View the entire series here.
07.07.10Homeless, Not Hopeless - ClevelandFar too often municipalities enact unconstitutional ordinances that criminalize homeless people and restrict their access to public space. Join us for a discussion of the homeless community’s fight for equality with Brian Davis, executive director of the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless and advocate for the estimated 26,000 homeless in the Cleveland area. This is the second in the 2010 Brown Bag Lecture Series. View the entire series here.
06.29.10Playground to Prison: Juvenile Justice in Ohio - ColumbusJoin us for a discussion with Yvonne C. Hunnicutt, director of operations of Voices for Ohio’s Children, as we explore the trends toward the criminalization of young people. Hunnicutt will discuss contemporary issues in juvenile justice reform, such as racial disparities in arrests and sentencing and current legislation that will help provide rehabilitation – rather than just incarceration – for our young people.
06.24.10The New Jim Crow - ClevelandJoin director the of Cleveland State University’s Black Studies Program, Dr. Michael Williams, ACLU of Ohio legal director James Hardiman, and ACLU of Ohio education director Shakyra Diaz in a program that will examine how the laws and policies of the last 30 years have resulted in extreme racial disparity in our justice system. As the director of the Black Studies Program, Dr. Michael Williams is tasked with ensuring that the Cleveland State University community and the Greater Cleveland community with opportunities to acquire a greater knowledge and appreciation of the history, life and all aspects of the arts, culture and experiences of peoples of African descent through educational programming, Images radio show, and the Howard A. Mims Cultural Center.
06.23.10Life Sentence: Obstacles faced by formerly incarcerated people - ClevelandJoin Charles See, director of Community Re-Entry, Inc., for a look at the obstacles that prevent formerly incarcerated people from transitioning back to society. This is the first in the 2010 Brown Bag Lecture Series. View the entire series here.
05.20.10Criminalizing Kids: The Need for Juvenile Justive Reform - ToledoOhio detains and incarcerates a greater percentage of our adolescent population than more than two-thirds of states. Join Toledo area civil libertarians for a look at the issues affecting Ohio’s youth and endeavors underway to change the system. This presentation was part of the 2010 Northwest Chapter of the ACLU of Ohio Annual Dinner honoring Dr. Trudy Bond, psychologist and political activist, and features advocate and juvenile justice expert C. Antoinette Clarke, professor of law, Claude W. Pettit College of Law, Ohio Northern University.
05.19.10The Call for Freedom – Peace and the Struggle for Liberation - DaytonJoin us for a discussion about people’s movements for freedom – both historical and modern day – in three countries. Experts in their field will highlight a wide range of issues, including the struggles against the Apartheid regime in South Africa, the movement for human security in Brazil, and the push to create a more equitable justice system in the US. Panelists include Pablo Banhos, whose thesis contrasts authoritarian and democratic regimes in Brazil; Shakyra Diaz, ACLU of Ohio education director; Dr. Joyce Dunbar, visiting scholar at Central State University
05.13.10Juvenile Lockdown - ClevelandDennis Parker, National ACLU Racial Justice Program Director explores the national trends, the school to prison pipeline, profiling, and ‘tough on youth’ policies that criminalize young people.
05.05.10Civil Liberties in the Age of Obama - Lewis CenterGary Daniels, associate director of the ACLU of Ohio, discusses President Obama’s policies on national security, LGBT rights, racial justice, and other civil liberties issues.
04.30.10Deadline Now: ACLU - Toni Clarke, Michael Steinberg (WGTE)WGTE Host Jack Lessenberry learns about the latest cases and projects undertaken by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in Ohio and Michigan. Guests are Ohio ACLU Board Member Toni Clarke and Michigan ACLU Legal Director Michael Steinberg. Thanks to WGTE for providing us with this interview.
04.27.10An End to Lock ‘Em Up Politics: Reforming the Criminal Justice System in Ohio - ColumbusPanelists discuss current efforts for legislative reform that will reduce the costs of prisons while encouraging rehabilitation of offenders. Panelists include Stephen JohnsonGrove, Ohio Justice and Policy Center staff attorney; Mark Godsey, faculty director of the University of Cincinnati College of Law Ohio Innocence Project; Gary Daniels, associate director of the ACLU of Ohio.
04.22.10Cost of Incarceration: Reforming Ohio’s Criminal Justice System‘Tough on Crime’ policies have overburdened our state budget and resulted in unnecessary prison over-crowding. Ohio prisons are designed to house 38,665 people but are currently housing near 51,000. Panelists for this discussion include Terry Collins, former director of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections; Shakyra Diaz, education director for the ACLU of Ohio, and Edward Little, criminal justice consultant.
04.18.10Order in the Court: Reforming Juvenile JusticeJoin us for the North Central Chapter 2010 annual meeting featuring Christopher Mallet, juvenile justice advocate and professor, Cleveland State University.
03.16.10Transition Transparency: Unlock the Door to ReformThere is a lot of work to be done to transform Cuyahoga County’s government, and it cannot be done without the full participation of all residents. In order to keep the public informed, it is critical that the transition process is open and accessible. Activists must remain vigilant and make certain officials are held accountable for transparency. Join Christine Link, ACLU of Ohio executive director, Carrie Davis, ACLU of Ohio staff attorney, and Mike Brickner, ACLU of Ohio communications director to learn what constitutes an open meeting, how to submit a records request, and what you can do to ensure open government during the reform process in Cuyahoga County.
03.10.10What Women (Really) NeedDo legislators address the concerns and needs of limited income women? Can there be a movement that advances women’s rights? Can priority issues for women become budgetary priorities for the state? Join the ACLU of Ohio for an interactive discussion with panelists Gail Long, social worker and community activist; Alexandria Ruden, attorney, Legal Aid Society of Greater Cleveland; Jill Shankar, attorney, Cleveland ACLU Board Member; and Lisa Smith, M. Ed., associate director, Community Re-Entry, Inc.
12.03.09An End to Lock ‘Em Up Politics: Reforming the Criminal Justice System in Ohio - DaytonACLU of Ohio Executive Director Christine Link discusses criminal justice reform at the Downtown Dayton Metro Library Auditorium.
11.04.09An End to Lock ‘Em Up Politics: Reforming the Criminal Justice System in Ohio - CincinnatiFor decades, Ohio politicians sought to be “tough on crime,” rather than smart on crime. They continually increased criminal penalties, regardless of their ineffectiveness at improving public safety or reducing recidivism. Because of these policies, prisons designed to house 38,000 people now hold over 52,000. Meanwhile, the resulting expenses strain state and county budgets – without making us safer. Panelists David Singleton, Mark Godsey, and Gary Daniels discuss current efforts for legislative reform that will reduce the costs of prisons while encouraging rehabilitation of offenders. This event, held that the Cincinnati Urban League, was co-sponsored by the ACLU of Ohio, the Ohio Innocence Project, and the Ohio Justice and Policy Center.
10.30.09The House That Liberty BuiltSusan Herman, recently elected president of the national ACLU, addresses members at an open house hosted by the ACLU of Ohio at its headquarters in Cleveland. Herman discusses the the state of civil liberties during the Obama administration and shares her vision for the future of the ACLU.
The State of LGBT Rights: Ohio, America, and the WorldCleveland State University Cleveland-Marshall College of Law hosts a half-day symposium exploring cutting-edge legal issues affecting the daily lives of LGBT individuals in Ohio, nationally, and around the world. The symposium features lawyers and other activists who have advocated successfully on behalf of their LGBT clients and constituents to change the laws governing marriage and domestic partnerships, parental rights, and non-discrimination in employment, housing and related areas. An audio podcast of the event is not available. However, you can watch the video from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law here. View additional resources on LGBT issues. This symposium is presented by Cleveland State University’s Cleveland Marshall College of Law, CSU’s Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs, CSU’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Student Services, the ACLU of Ohio, and the CM allies. Generous support also provided by the Northeast Ohio Chapter of the American Constitution Society and the CM Student Chapter, Cleveland State Law Review, Cleveland-Marshall Law Library, Black Students Law Association (BLSA), Women’s Law Students Association (WLSA), Student Bar Association (SBA), Democratic Law Organization (DLO), and Hispanic Law Students Association (HLSA).
10.18.09Due Process for Sale?The ACLU of Ohio kicks off the celebration of our 90th anniversary with the Ed Likover Memorial Lecture. In addition to our 90th anniversary, we also celebrate the 90th birthday of activist and civil libertarian Belle Likover. James Sample, associate professor of law, Hofstra University School of Law, speaks on the increasing influence of corporate donations to judicial elections, often from key stakeholders before the courts.
10.08.09American Religion, American FreedomHarry Hirsch, noted author and professor at Oberlin College, discusses the role of religion in modern American life and politics at the Harry Cagin Memorial Lecture, held at The Temple-Tifereth Israel.
10.04.09Civil Liberties in the Age of ObamaChris Link, executive director of the ACLU, discusses President Obama’s policies on national security, LGBT rights, racial justice, and other civil liberties issues. Separating the rhetoric from the facts, Link highlights the strengths and weaknesses of President Obama’s positions on civil liberties.
10.01.09Banned Brilliance of African American AuthorsA celebration of Banned Books Week, Banned Brilliance of African American Authors features Columbus-area community members reading passages from books removed from the shelves of schools and libraries throughout the U.S. Participants include:
This event was sponsored by the ACLU of Ohio and the Ohio State University Department of African American and African Studies Community Extension Center. In partnership with Columbus Branch of the NAACP, King Arts Complex, The Book Suite and Urban Spirit.
08.20.09News Briefing on Teens and Technology: What Parents, Teachers and Students Need to KnowExperts from the ACLU of Ohio host a news briefing on the current state of student rights in areas such as sexting, online speech, cell phone searches and other emerging civil liberties concerns. Speakers include Brian Laliberte, attorney, private practice, Colleen Cunningham, local educator, Carrie Davis, staff counsel, ACLU of Ohio, and Christine Link, executive director, ACLU of Ohio. Learn more about youth rights with regards to technology.
08.05.09Let’s Talk about “SEXting!”Toni Clarke, professor of law at Ohio Northern University, discusses the legal implications of “sexting,” where teens send nude photos of themselves via their mobile phones. She addresses the problematic nature of prosecuting teens for “sexting” and suggests alternatives, including education programs and outreach to youth. This event is the sixth in the 2009 Brown Bag Lecture Series. More information about the 2009 series can be found here. View “Tips to Prevent Sexting,” the accompanying handout provided by Ms. Clarke here.
07.29.09Prison Bound: A Review of the School to Prison PipelinePaul Hill, president and CEO of East End Neighborhood Center, discusses the policies and practices that funnel youth out of classrooms and into the juvenile and criminal justice systems. This event is the fifth in the 2009 Brown Bag Lecture Series. More information about the 2009 series can be found here.
07.22.09False Confessions: A Juvenile InjusticeGeoffrey Mearns, dean of the Marshall College of Law, discusses his experience as co-counsel on the case of Anthony Harris, a twelve-year-old boy who was wrongfully convicted of murder based on a false confession. This event is the fourth in the 2009 Brown Bag Lecture Series. More information about the 2009 series can be found here.
07.15.09Cyber Invaders: The Government’s Use of Technology to Invade PrivacyRaymond Ku, professor of law and co-director of the Center for Law, Technology and the Arts, Case Western Reserve University, discusses government use of new technologies to invade privacy - and legislative efforts to conceal, authorize, and immunize executive actions. This event is the third in the 2009 Brown Bag Lecture Series. More information about the 2009 series can be found here.
07.08.09Missing the Mark: Reforming the Juvenile Justice SystemYvonne Hunnicutt, of Voices for Ohio’s Children, discusses the work of the Juvenile Justice Initiative to promote reform of the juvenile justice system through coordinating and mobilizing individuals and organizations. This event is the second in the 2009 Brown Bag Lecture Series. More information about the 2009 series can be found here. The PowerPoint presentation that was provided by Ms. Hunnicutt can be found here.
06.30.09ACLU Racial Justice Program Director Dennis Parker Discusses the Pervasive Problem of Racial ProfilingListen to ACLU National Racial Justice Project Director Dennis Parker discuss a new report released by the ACLU outlining the continued use of racial profiling by law enforcement.
06.24.09Policing These Streets: Improving Community and Police RelationsCommander James Copeland, former police commander and current teacher at Shaw High School discusses the need for improved training to facilitate and encourage better community and police relations. This event is the first in the 2009 Brown Bag Lecture Series. More information about the 2009 series can be found here.
05.15.09Deadline Now: Mary Beth Tinker and Susan Carter
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