Categorical Clemency: A Beacon of Hope in an Unjust Criminal Legal System

New Jersey has a moral responsibility to address its history of mass incarceration and racism by offering more opportunities for release. Categorical clemency offers a powerful way to do so.

Open doors in a prison.

A Conversation Guide on Building a More Perfect New Jersey in 2024

With the holiday season approaching, we know these topics might come up at the dinner table. Here’s a guide to help you talk about your rights in New Jersey, dispel misinformation, and organize your family and friends.

Mult-racial family enjoying thanksgiving dinner around a table

NJ Lawmakers Must Meet the Moment in Lame Duck and Advance Civil Rights and Liberties

With Election Day over, lawmakers must turn back to unfinished business in Lame Duck and advance racial and social justice before the conclusion of the current legislative session.

By Sarah Fajardo

New Jersey Statehouse in Trenton

On Book Bans and Censorship: a Q&A with Martha Hickson, 2023 NJ Librarian of the Year

Even though New Jersey has been a national leader in protecting and expanding civil rights and liberties, there have been censorship attempts across the state this year.

By Elyla Huertas

white Woman in a white and green tshirt holding a mircophone and a book addressing a crowd in a bookstore

For New Jersey to be Fair and Welcoming for All Who Call It Home, Lawmakers Must Pass the Values Act

New Jersey has a rich immigrant heritage that we must protect to ensure that we are truly a fair and welcoming place for everyone who calls this state home.

By Ami Kachalia

Protestors with a sign "#Freethemall" outside the NJ statehouse

Pretextual Traffic Stops are Unconstitutional and Life-Threatening – Lawmakers Must Act

In New Jersey, pretextual stops continue at a staggering rate, putting officers and motorists at dangerous odds, despite the majority of traffic stops doing little to contribute to public safety.

By Karen Thompson

Cop car with lights flashing at night

A Student Q&A on Creating Change and Giving Back

When Roe v. Wade was overturned in June of 2022, one student was inspired to fight back by selling tie dyed canvas bags and donating the proceeds to the ACLU of New Jersey.

tie dye bags hanging over a railing in front of a white house

Action Needed for Expansion of Reproductive Rights – Your Ballot is the Key to Accountability

Ensuring that New Jersey prioritizes funding for abortion facilities and clinics is more crucial than ever.

By Sarah Fajardo

Protestors holding signs reading "abortion is healthcare. Abortion is a right"

Leveraging Categorical Clemency Makes Reviewing Prison Sentences an Expectation, Not an Exception

Despite a historic downward trend in New Jersey’s prison population in the last decade, many people are still facing extreme sentences, incarcerated for years or even decades after their rehabilitation, and forced to serve sentences that are not commensurate to their crime or culpability.

Protester holding sign reading "Justice 4 ALL" in front of state building