Marais Jacon-Duffy

COLUMBUS, OH—State Senators Stephen Huffman (R-Tipp City) and Nickie J. Antonio (D-Lakewood) announced a bipartisan death penalty repeal bill Thursday morning during a virtual press conference. The Senators were joined by several colleagues from both the House and Senate including Senator Kristina Roegner (R-Hudson), Senator Niraj Antani (R-Miami Township), Senator Sandra Williams (D-Cleveland), Representative Adam […]

How Lisa Montgomery Entered the Cycle of Violence By: Verjine Adanalian, OJPC staff attorney It is understandably uncomfortable to learn that sex trafficking can (and does) occur in our very own backyards. What is especially difficult to accept is how much sex trafficking involves children—and that victimization can take many forms. Child sex trafficking victims […]

Contact Kevin Werner for information on any bills or if you would like to testify in favor one of these bills: kwerner@ohiojpc.org, 513-421-1108 x 14, @itskevinwerner

I spent the summer of 2019 as an OJPC intern after my first year of law school. OJPC had been on my radar even before law school began. I was drawn to their commitment to not only address one-on-one client issues, but also to make large-scale systemic policy changes to prevent future client issues from […]

Disclaimer: This FAQ is a general source of information and is not a substitute for individualized legal advice. For specific questions, we recommend consulting an attorney. You are always welcome to contact the Ohio Justice & Policy Center’s Second Chance Team at secondchance@ohiojpc.org.

On June 30, the Senate passed SB3 by a 25-4 vote. This is a bill that primarily focuses on drug resentencing, but it also expands record sealing in ways that will help many OJPC clients who face barriers to employment, housing, and education due to their criminal records. The bill is one of two major […]

On June 4, after more than a week of protests across the United States and almost three months into a global pandemic, The Ohio Justice & Policy Center and the Cincinnati Black United Front released a list of eight recommendations. These are concrete ways for law enforcement, prosecutors, courts, and local governments to respond to […]

By: Lily Meyer The lawyers and staff of the Ohio Justice & Policy Center were concerned about Ohio prisoners’ health long before the coronavirus pandemic began. OJPC’s flagship Human Rights in Prison program advocates for adequate access to health care for all incarcerated Ohioans. Before this March, fighting for prisoners’ medical rights meant advocating and […]

When Alexis Ke’Erica Martin walked out of prison, she was overjoyed – and so were many others. Her step into the prison parking lot marked a major step toward true freedom, after a life of human trafficking and incarceration. Alexis was ready for the next chapter of her life. “Ke” (short for Ke’Erica), as she […]

I used to interview people, mostly teenagers, to work in food service at a local amusement park over the summer. I had to ask everyone about their criminal history and let them know that a disclosure would not prevent them from becoming employed. Only one person ever disclosed their criminal history to me. He was […]