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California applies the death penalty disproportionately to people of color, especially when the victim is white. A recent, rigorous statewide study found that Black people are up to 8.7 times as likely to be sentenced to death as similarly situated non-Black defendants, Latino people are up to 6.2 times as likely to be sentenced to death, and defendants of all races are up to 8.8 times as likely t... Read More

The petition demonstrates that racial disparities in California’s implementation of the death penalty are persistent, pervasive, and well documented. Black people are about five times more likely to be sentenced to death when compared to similarly situated non-Black defendants, while Latino people are at least three times more likely to be sentenced to death. Read More

We're challenging the governor's authority to reverse parole as a violation of the rights of young people. Read More

Long before the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the state must provide a lawyer to poor people charged with crimes, many counties in California already did so. Yet today, after years of neglect by the state, California is in the midst of a decades-long public defense crisis. Read More

A San Francisco judge has ruled that the California Department of Justice can no longer indefinitely store the DNA of people who were never convicted of a crime. Read More

With the appointment of Judge Ursula Jones Dickson to replace former District Attorney Pamela Price, the ACLU and our partners on the Alameda County District Attorney Accountability Table will continue advocating for policies that reflect the values of the community and hold the incoming district attorney accountable. Read More

Alameda County is set to choose a new district attorney to replace Pamela Price. The next top prosecutor must commit to promoting equal justice and safety for all Read More

This report highlights the remaining barriers that conviction and incarceration impose with respect to bodily autonomy, family unity, and reproductive futures, and proposes solutions to these challenges. Read More

Today, the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States marks the beginning of another term with policies in direct opposition to core ACLU principles and values. The ACLU of Northern California stands ready, as it has throughout its history, to protect fundamental rights under federal and state law – and the Constitution. Read More

The results of the November 2024 election – at both the federal and state level – compel us to look ahead with clear eyes and strong resolve to protect civil liberties and civil rights. We balance our sober understanding of the threats ahead with our enduring commitment to a vision of the United States and its Constitution that respects the rights of all persons.  Read More