News & Commentary
Dec 08, 2018
The Right to Vote Belongs to the People
The right to vote is fundamental to our democracy. It must be treated as irrevocable. Politicians should not be able to use the right to vote to reward or punish people. The right to vote should be treated in the same respect as other fundamental rights in our democracy, such as freedom of religion
Sep 12, 2018
We can't end mass incarceration without changing our mindset about women's involvement with crimes
Understanding that whole person and understanding her story helps in re-analyzing what is just and fair regarding if a person is in fact criminally-minded and what their punishment should be. Changing the mindset must start here, if we are to truly make an impact.
Sep 11, 2018
None of Us Are Free, When One of Us Is Chained
We live in trying times, a time when it can be hard to bear your own weight, much less take on the weight of another. This is why the ACLU of Virginia is so grateful to all of the participants, members and organizers that came together on a rainy Saturday afternoon to address mass incarceration.
Sep 05, 2018
A man has been held in solitary confinement for more than 12 years. So we sued.
This week, the ACLU of Virginia and the Roderick and Solange MacArthur Justice Center filed a lawsuit in federal court on behalf of Mr. Nicolas Reyes.
By Vishal Agraharkar
Aug 13, 2018
Imprisoned in Isolation
In a recent study, the ACLU-VA asks Governor Ralph Northam to sharply limit the use of solitary confinement. The ACLU report deems the practice is 'overused' in Virginia. The ACLU said reforms put in place by the state since 2011 are a “step forward” in reducing its use but don’t go far enough.
Jul 24, 2018
The art and science of activism depend on each other. Without one, the other collapses.
Harvard public policy profess spoke about the head and the heart, how they depend on each other, without one, the other collapses. Then he gave us all a philosophy that is the basis of this article, and will be the basis of all my future activism: “It takes the head and the heart to move the hands.”
Jun 18, 2018
But what else can I do?
Personal stories destroy stereotypes and ignite compassion, for others, for our selves and for the world we live in. My passion is already providing a safe and sacred space for stories to be written and providing a platform where those stories can be heard.
May 10, 2018
Solitary Confinement Degrades and Dehumanizes Real People in Virginia Every Hour of Every Day
The findings of the ACLU-VA's latest report, Silent Injustice: Solitary Confinement in Virginia, are at once startling and cursory to the real inhumanities people in solitary confinement face.
By Mateo Gasparotto
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