ohiolegalhelp.org is a site with direct access to resources for Ohioans in need of legal assistance for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to housing, families, debt, court appearances, public benefits, seniors, traffic, and more.
1-minute explainer video: What is bail, and why do justice advocates want to reform (or repeal) it?
Video series funded by the Ohio State Bar Foundation
OJPC Executive Director and Board member/activist Dr. Zaria Davis take part in a webinar on racial inequities with EquaSion, presented by A Mighty Stream.
Ohio’s bail system does not promote public safety— it simply allows some people to buy their release, regardless of what threat they may pose. It is also burdensome to taxpayers who end up footing the bill for long, unnecessary jail stays. Bail reform is needed to end wealth-based detention, bring Ohio’s courts into compliance with the United States Constitution, save money, and truly promote public safety.
Suicide is the leading cause of death in jails across the country. At a time when the public is paying closer attention to local jails and their primary role in mass incarceration, it is critical to shine light on the problem of jail suicide and the steps jails can take to prevent future deaths.
By: Jason Tan de Bibiana, Therese Todd, and Leah Pope
This report outlines the ways in which people experiencing homelessness are vulnerable within the system and how this leads to negative outcomes at each justice system decision point. It also highlights the urgent need for alternate approaches to break the cycle.
By: Madeline Bailey, Erica Crew, and Madz Reeve, Aug. 2020
Answers to frequently asked questions, definitions and additional resources for those interested in issues of pretrial justice.
“Plea bargaining is more a part of the American justice system than the formal trial and, in fact, makes up the vast majority of criminal justice transactions today. Only 2 percent of federal criminal cases—and a similar number of state cases—are brought to trial. More than 90 percent of convictions, at both federal and state levels, are the result of guilty pleas.” — In the Shadows: A Review of the Research on Plea Bargaining.
By: Ram Subramanian, Léon Digard, Melvin Washington II, and Stephanie Sorage
Looking for a new podcast? “The Steep Road to Freedom” is a podcast produced by the ACLU of Ohio about work to reform and ultimately eliminate the cash bail system in Ohio.
(Listen for OJPC staff on Episode 3!)
Ohio’s reliance on cash bail has perpetuated a two-tiered system of justice: one for the wealthy and one for the rest of us. We can’t end mass incarceration without ending the bail system as we know it.