The Criminal Law Reform Project is a division of the national ACLU. Our goal is to put an end to excessively harsh crime policies that result in mass incarceration and stand in the way of a just and equal society.
Founded in 1998 and formerly known as the Drug Law Reform Project, the Project seeks an end to excessively harsh criminal justice policies that result in mass incarceration and stand in the way of a just and equal society. The Project focuses its work at the "front end" of the criminal justice system, from policing to sentencing, with an emphasis on ending our nation's punitive drug policies, which have failed to achieve public safety and health while putting unprecedented numbers of people behind bars and eroding constitutional rights. We fulfill our mission through strategic litigation and advocacy that promotes reform of the criminal justice system and drug laws in particular, reduces the number of people entering the system, and protects the constitutional rights of those in the system.
The Project's current priorities include: challenging police and prosecutorial misconduct and other government abuses of power; reducing reliance on incarceration, with a focus on decriminalizing drug offenses and shortening sentencing schemes overall; and reducing racial disparity in the criminal justice system through challenging the selective enforcement of criminal laws. In addition to these core priorities, the Project also works in the following areas: marijuana law reform, including protecting emerging rights of the seriously-ill to use medical marijuana; reducing the collateral consequences of drug convictions; and addressing the criminal justice implications of emerging surveillance technologies.
The Project’s legal strategies are built on the idea that fighting for civil rights means more than just persuading judges. It means changing hearts and minds. We work on the frontlines with communities most affected by overincarceration to integrate litigation with innovative public education campaigns and to develop tools to help these communities demand justice.
The Project has an unparalleled track record, having successfully litigated issues ranging from racial profiling in drug law enforcement to protecting medical marijuana users and their doctors from prosecution. We will continue that tradition of success, combining litigation, education, and community empowerment to achieve humane and sensible policies that respect basic human rights and the liberties enshrined in our nation’s Constitution.
Cases
See all ACLU Criminal Law Reform cases.
Features
Safe Communities, Fair Sentences (The ACLU campaign to end overincarceration) - America’s criminal justice system should keep communities safe, treat people fairly, and use fiscal resources wisely. But more Americans are deprived of their liberty than ever before - unfairly and unnecessarily, with no benefit to public safety.
Reports
Smart Reform Is Possible: States Reducing Incarceration Rates and Costs While Protecting Communities (2011 resource): Since President Richard Nixon first announced the "War on Drugs" 40 years ago, the United States has adopted "tough on crime" criminal justice policies that have given it the dubious distinction of having the highest incarceration rate in the world.
Caught in the Net: The Impact of Drug Policies on Women and Families: In this report, the ACLU, Break the Chains and the Brennan Center for Justice advocate for fair drug laws and policies that adequately take into account the needs of women and their families, and address the root causes of women's involvement with illegal drugs.
Multimedia & Infographics
[Infographic] Combating Mass Incarceration - The Facts (2011 infographic): An Infographic on Mass Incarceration: America’s criminal justice system should keep communities safe, treat people fairly, and use fiscal resources wisely. But more Americans are deprived of their liberty than ever before - unfairly and unnecessarily, with no benefit to public safety. Especially in the face of economic crisis, our government should invest in alternatives to incarceration and make prisons options of last – not first – resort.
Other Resources
Police Practices: The ACLU works to promote good police practices, which ensure public safety and prevent abuses in encounters between police officers and citizens. Unfortunately, across the nation patterns of racial profiling, the selective enforcement of laws against people of color and disturbing stop-and-frisk policies have resulted in a disproportionate effect on certain communities, with people of color coming in contact with law enforcement and the criminal justice system at far greater rates that white people.
Mass Incarceration Problems (2011 PDF): Our criminal justice system should keep communities safe and treat people fairly, regardless of the color of their skin or the size of their bank account. And in order for our system to do a good job, it must be cost-effective by using our taxpayer dollars and public resources wisely.
Breaking the Addiction to Incarceration: Weekly Highlights (blog series)
War on Drugs blog series (2011 blog series): June 2011 marked the 40th anniversary of President Richard Nixon's declaration of a "war on drugs" — a war that has cost roughly a trillion dollars, has produced little to no effect on the supply of or demand for drugs in the United States, and has contributed to making America the world's largest incarcerator.
