Criminal Justice
From policing and sentencing, to the treatment of incarcerated people, the ACLU of RI seeks to reform the excessively harsh, unnecessary criminal justice policies and practices that result in mass incarceration, over-criminalization and ongoing inequality.
Explore our work in justice reform in Rhode Island.
The Latest
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS: What to Do if You're Stopped by Police, Immigration or the FBI
Regardless of your immigration or citizenship status, you have constitutional rights!
ACLU of RI Settles False Arrest Suit of Woonsocket Man for $550,000
Concluding a lawsuit involving a disturbing case of serious police misconduct, the ACLU of Rhode Island announced the favorable settlement of a case on behalf of Woonsocket resident Mack Blackie who was twice unlawfully and falsely arrested and detained by Woonsocket police.
ACLU and RWU Law School Clinic Sue Again Over ACI’s Failure to Accommodate an Incarcerated Native Americans' Religious Freedom
The lawsuit argues that RIDOC has refused to accommodate an array of religious practices that Native Americans are routinely allowed to practice in federal and state prisons across the country.
Cases, Campaigns & Legislation
Aug 05, 2025
Cintron v. Bibeault
The brief was filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in support of Jerry Cintron, whose lawsuit alleges that while suffering from substance use disorder, he was given no treatment despite his requests for it. Instead, he was kept in disciplinary segregation for over one year.
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