News & Commentary

A Q&A with Abortion Provider and Advocate Dr. Kristyn Brandi

As students return to school, security is on our minds — but safe schools depend on counselors, not cops. We need supportive environments, not police intimidation.

Pretrial risk assessment algorithms have come under scrutiny in recent years, and for good reason, because they can perpetuate racial bias in how they evaluate risk. That’s why we’re investigating how the state uses public safety assessments to make life-altering decisions about our rights.

State courts are more important than ever. But current vacancies on New Jersey's Supreme Court and our lower courts affect us all, whether expanding constitutional rights or sorting out custody.

Facial recognition technology, like many kinds of automated decision systems used by the government, can worsen racial inequity, limit our civil rights and liberties, and deprive people of fundamental fairness. We're investigating.

New Jersey’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission, the agency tasked with putting policies in place to carry out legalization, has unique power to make our state’s cannabis market equitable, inclusive, and accessible. We have until September 30 to make sure their final regulations use that power fully.

Domestic violence survivors in New Jersey are eligible for special public benefits to assist in their escape and recovery from abuse. But who decides if a domestic violence survivor will be awarded those benefits? To make that determination, New Jersey turns to an algorithm.

As federal courts grow more hostile to civil rights and civil liberties, the ACLU turns to state courts — building on a century of experience.

When faced with important health care decisions, we often turn to doctors, service providers, family, and friends. But today, another actor plays a growing role in those decisions as the government and insurance companies increasingly lean on algorithms to allocate health care we need.