Forthcoming series of reports to examine death penalty in Ohio
The Ohio Justice & Policy Center will release a series of reports to examine why it is time to end the death penalty in Ohio, and how we can repeal it this legislative session. These forthcoming death penalty reports are timely for several reasons: First, the...
Bipartisan death penalty repeal bill introduced in Ohio
COLUMBUS, OH—State Senators Stephen Huffman (R-Tipp City) and Nickie J. Antonio (D-Lakewood) announced a bipartisan death penalty repeal bill Thursday morning during a virtual press conference. The Senators were joined by several colleagues from both the House and...
From Child Sex Trafficking Victim to Capital Offender
How Lisa Montgomery Entered the Cycle of Violence By: Verjine Adanalian, OJPC staff attorney It is understandably uncomfortable to learn that sex trafficking can (and does) occur in our very own backyards. What is especially difficult to accept is how much sex...
Ohio Lame Duck session: How you can help right now
Take action on priority criminal-legal reform legislation The 2020 lame duck legislative session is underway in Ohio, and legislators need to hear from you! Phone calls, emails, even tweets are effective and essential ways to advocate for change -- and it's so easy to...
Where Are They Now? Former OJPC intern Ben Ranz
I spent the summer of 2019 as an OJPC intern after my first year of law school. OJPC had been on my radar even before law school began. I was drawn to their commitment to not only address one-on-one client issues, but also to make large-scale systemic policy changes...
Legislative Update: SB3 passes the Senate, HB1 should be next
On June 30, the Senate passed SB3 by a 25-4 vote. This is a bill that primarily focuses on drug resentencing, but it also expands record sealing in ways that will help many OJPC clients who face barriers to employment, housing, and education due to their criminal...
Protests and the Pandemic: Recommendations for a more equitable Cincinnati
On June 4, after more than a week of protests across the United States and almost three months into a global pandemic, The Ohio Justice & Policy Center and the Cincinnati Black United Front released a list of eight recommendations. These are concrete ways for law...
How OJPC is trying to free at-risk prisoners during the coronavirus pandemic
By: Lily Meyer The lawyers and staff of the Ohio Justice & Policy Center were concerned about Ohio prisoners’ health long before the coronavirus pandemic began. OJPC’s flagship Human Rights in Prison program advocates for adequate access to health care for all...
Welcome Home, Alexis
When Alexis Ke'Erica Martin walked out of prison, she was overjoyed – and so were many others. Her step into the prison parking lot marked a major step toward true freedom, after a life of human trafficking and incarceration. Alexis was ready for the next chapter of...
Second Chance Month: People need the opportunity to do better
I used to interview people, mostly teenagers, to work in food service at a local amusement park over the summer. I had to ask everyone about their criminal history and let them know that a disclosure would not prevent them from becoming employed. Only one person ever...