Criminal Legal Reform

blind justice

America’s criminal justice system should keep communities safe, treat people fairly, and use fiscal resources wisely. ACLU-TN advocates for a criminal justice system that fosters public safety by reducing mass incarceration and ensuring police accountability. We work to ensure that constitutional protections are afforded to everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity or income. We also confront discriminatory or unfair police practices and challenge the broken death penalty system.

The Latest

Press Release
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ACLU-TN Receives a Response from the City of Memphis to Formal Demand Letter

Press Release
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ACLU-TN Urges Independent Legal Monitor to Investigate the Memphis Police Department’s Conduct at the No Kings Rally

From the DOJ Report to the No Kings Rally — MPD’s Pattern of Conduct Demands Answers 
Know Your Rights
KYR

Federal Forces and national Guard being sent to Memphis

There is no emergency that merits sending federal forces and the National Guard into Memphis, and the presence of these forces will only make our city less safe and less secure. The action may result in violations of basic rights and liberties, including violations of the Kendrick Consent Decree which further protects Memphians from illegal surveillance.
Press Release
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ACLU of Tennessee Demands Mason Officials Halt ICE Detention Contract, Cites City’s Failure to Approve Contract

ACLU-TN sent a letter to Mason officials demanding they immediately stop all actions related to contracts with CoreCivic and ICE to operate an immigration detention facility. The letter states that the town failed to approve the ICE contract according to the terms of its charter.
Campaign
Apr 2021

In Our Backyards: Money Bail in Rural Tennessee

Campaign
Jul 2017

Bail Reform