News & Commentary

In early January, Gov. Ralph Northam introduced his agenda, which included “marijuana decriminalization,” giving the illusion that Virginia is moving toward actual criminal legal reforms. Unfortunately, HB 972 would cause more harm to Black and brown people and criminalize youth,

The only way to stop the harm of marijuana laws against people of color is to repeal the prohibition on marijuana possession and use from the code completely.This is the first step in the right direction to eliminating racist drug enforcement.

By Valerie Slater, executive director, RISE for Youth

We look to Dr. King as a beacon of hope as we continue his work and the work of those who came before us to free all people from the shadows of oppression, so that all of us can breathe free and have a voice in our America.

On this Giving Tuesday, we at the ACLU of Virginia would like to say thank you. Thank you to each of our donors, members, partners, clients, and supporters. Thank you for your bravery, trust, and generosity. Each of you contributes to the impact we make and the forward progress we have created.

Being home with your loved ones during the holiday season should not be a privilege if you haven’t been convicted of a crime. Being treated with dignity and respect by the criminal legal system also should not be a privilege.

In his proclamation establishing Women’s Equality Day in 1973, President Richard Nixon stated: “The struggle for women’s suffrage, however, was only the first step toward full and equal participation of women in our Nation’s life … And yet, much still remains to be done.” Sadly, these words remain true today.

While institutional slavery may have ended in the United States only 154 years ago, African Americans continue to be targeted by systematic racism in our criminal justice system. Jim Crow laws, established in the late 19th and 20th centuries after slavery was abolished to enforce segregation and rac

Information on the inhumane practice of solitary confinement in state prisons is the Virginia Department of Corrections’ (VDOC) most closely guarded secret, and one that is actually driving people insane.