Criminal Legal Reform

The ACLU of Maine works in the courts, at the State House, and with local communities to reform policing, strengthen the indigent defense system, address disproportionate sentencing, protect the rights of people in custody, and hold government officials accountable when they abuse their authority.

We believe that everyone deserves a fair chance to defend themselves, whether or not they can afford to hire a lawyer. That means ensuring that people facing criminal charges have meaningful access to effective legal representation, that courts uphold the right to a speedy and fair trial, and that people are not unnecessarily held in jail simply because they cannot afford bail or a lawyer.

We also advocate for policies that reduce unnecessary incarceration and excessive punishment while promoting safe and healthy communities. We fight against practices that criminalize poverty and homelessness, unnecessarily expand the criminal legal system, or impose harsh penalties without improving public safety. We also work to ensure that law enforcement officers and other government officials are held responsible when they violate our constitutional rights.

For decades, policies enacted in the name of public safety have contributed to the growth of the criminal legal system without actually making communities safer. The ACLU of Maine works to build a system that protects public safety while respecting individual rights, treating people fairly, and recognizing the dignity of everyone who comes into contact with it.