Stories from the ACLU of Washington

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Working Through the Courts to Break Down Racial Bias in the Criminal Legal System

Published: 
Thursday, March 30, 2023
This series examines how the ACLU-WA crafts and deploys amicus briefs to promote racial justice and systemic equality in the criminal legal system.
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Victims of police violence deserve a fair chance at justice. This bill will provide that.

Published: 
Friday, March 3, 2023
Lawmakers should pass the Access to Fairness Act and show that no person is above the law — especially not those who are empowered to enforce it.
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Japanese Americans and African Americans Advancing the Movement for Reparations and H.R. 40

Published: 
Wednesday, March 1, 2023
This article explores an educational and action-oriented session held in March 2021 to discuss the movement for reparations.
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ACLU-WA Executive Director Michele Storms wins 2023 Goldmark Award for Distinguished Service

Published: 
Tuesday, February 28, 2023
Storms addressed attendees of the Legal Foundation of Washington's annual luncheon.
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Restraint and isolation in Washington schools: What these practices are, how they are being used and what needs to change 

Published: 
Monday, February 6, 2023
One parent recounted their son saying that he couldn’t breathe, and that he thought he was going to die. Another described how her kindergartener was placed in isolation, often for “cussing,“ many times a week for months. A survivor described witnessing restraint at a non-public agency as “an everyday thing” in all classrooms. 
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The difference between the decriminalization and legalization of substances 

Published: 
Friday, February 3, 2023
Maintaining or increasing penalties for drug possession and relying on jails and prosecution as a pathway to treatment would be repeating the mistakes of the past and continuing the failed legacy and racially inequitable outcomes of the War on Drugs. 
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Focused on Black Futures

Published: 
Wednesday, February 1, 2023
Focusing on Black Futures allows us to hold what we know about Black history and weave that knowledge into our plans for action.
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It’s time to prioritize traffic safety for all Washingtonians. This bill will do that.

Published: 
Monday, January 23, 2023
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Fighting for Justice, Inclusion to Reach MLK’s Beloved Community 

Published: 
Friday, January 13, 2023
A note on MLK day 2023 by ACLU-WA Executive Director Michele Storms
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Encampment sweeps: What they are and the harm they cause 

Published: 
Wednesday, January 11, 2023
Imagine if government agents came to your home with little or no warning and carted away everything you own, throwing away most or all of it, and providing only a phone number you can call to see if you can get back whatever the government agents didn’t throw out.
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How Automated Decision Systems are used in Policing

Published: 
Monday, December 26, 2022
Automated decision systems, technologies that make or help make decisions about people, can have life or death impacts especially when used in the context of policing.
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The Future of Drug Policy Reform in Washington 

Published: 
Thursday, December 22, 2022
When the state Legislature convenes on Jan. 9, lawmakers will have the opportunity to address the racially biased practices and devastating consequences of the failed War on Drugs by replacing a system that stigmatizes and criminalizes people with substance use disorders with one that treats drug use with a public health approach. 
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