Criminal Law Reform
The criminal legal system is rooted in slavery. This legacy has created an epidemic of mass incarceration. The ACLU of Northern California works to end unjust laws and policies that unfairly and disproportionately prosecute and imprison Black and Brown people. We advocate for criminal law reform that keeps communities safe and respects the rights of all Californians.
The Latest
ACLU Appellate Legal Team Fights for Equal Justice For All
We're supporting an effort to ensure that all Californians, regardless of their financial status, have a transcript of their civil case proceedings — without which they have no real chance of mounting a successful appeal.
Four Decades of Data Reveal California's Death Penalty is Riddled with Racial Bias
California applies the death penalty disproportionately to people of color, especially when the victim is white. A recent, rigorous statewide study found that Black people are up to 8.7 times as likely to be sentenced to death as similarly situated non-Black defendants, Latino people are up to 6.2 times as likely to be sentenced to death, and defendants of all races are up to 8.8 times as likely to be condemned to death when at least one of the victims in the case is white.
ACLU Joins Calls to Gov. Newsom to Commute All Death Sentences as State Supreme Court Reviews Constitutional Challenge
Issue Areas:
Criminal Law Reform
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