Blog

Written by OJPC Volunteer Lily Meyer The attorney Mark Vander Laan, who serves as the Ohio Justice & Policy Center’s Litigation Director, is not the firebrand I expected to meet. His demeanor is calm and thoughtful; he is a considered talker, given to weighing and contextualizing each idea as he shapes it. Listening to him describe […]

It’s not like “Taken.” Human trafficking often involves much more than a dramatic abduction.

Harvard Law graduate Michael Zuckerman could have taken a job anywhere after he completed his clerkship at the U.S. Supreme Court. So why did he choose to come to OJPC? I’m thrilled to return to OJPC as a Skadden Fellow after interning here during my first summer in law school. Ever since my time here […]

Trans people are more than twenty times more likely than the average U.S. citizen to be incarcerated in their lifetime I spent part of this month celebrating Pride alongside thousands of other Greater Cincinnatians. At the Pride Parade in particular, the joy of celebrating inclusivity, acceptance, and love was palpable. I wish so badly that […]

How Assigning or Assuming Blame Impacts Sex Trafficking Survivors By: Verjine Adanalian As an attorney who advocates exclusively for sex trafficking survivors, I often get asked: what’s the hardest part of the job? My answer usually surprises people—it’s dealing with the concept of blame. Who or what is to blame for what happened to my […]

Maybe you volunteered with the Issue 1 campaign. Maybe you collected signatures or canvassed your neighborhood or proudly displayed a yard sign. Maybe you voted “yes.” We’re incredibly thankful for all of it. And it wasn’t for nothing. Ohio is energized about criminal justice reform at this moment. We’re talking about sentencing reform, drug policy, […]

We at the Ohio Justice & Policy Center are saddened by the results of tonight’s election with regards to Issue 1. Our team worked tirelessly on this proposed amendment from the first draft to election night. OJPC supported Issue 1 because we saw a problem with our criminal justice system. Our criminal justice system is […]

2018 summer intern Erin Phillips describes how a parable “The Starfish Story” taught her the importance of fighting for sustainable system change.

OJPC summer intern Felicia White discusses empathy and the false idea that “walking in someone’s shoes” is a surefire way to empathy.