OJPC provides free legal assistance to people looking to overcome barriers created by a criminal record and to people who are incarcerated and face denials of basic human rights.
Second Chance Community Legal Clinics
Have a record that’s holding you back from jobs, housing, life? OJPC runs free legal clinics in the Cincinnati area focusing on criminal record sealing, Certificates of Qualification for Employment, and expungement for people whose charges related to prostitution and human trafficking. Click here for our clinic schedule.
Human Rights in Prison
OJPC provides pro bono legal representation to people in Ohio prisons. We specialize in federal civil rights claims concerning inadequate medical care for serious medical needs, excessive force, and the right to practice religion.
Beyond Guilt
Beyond Guilt provides direct legal services to incarcerated people who have served significant portions of their sentences and can demonstrate rehabilitation within the prison walls and who have the skills and support systems on the outside to continue the process of rehabilitation once they are released. Beyond Guilt also continues mentorship and support for clients after their release from prison.
Reducing Civil Consequences of Convictions
A civil consequence is the so-called “second sentence” a person experiences after a touch with the criminal justice system. In Ohio, a criminal conviction can legally keep someone from attaining a professional license or employment in fields ranging from plumbing to cosmetology. Our CIVICC database examines the 850+ barriers that affect Ohioans with criminal records. Additionally, OJPC’s Second Chance Legal Clinics offer opportunities for individuals to mitigate the damage done by criminal convictions through record sealing, expungement and more.
Survivors of Human Trafficking
Do you or someone you know have a record involving solicitation or prostitution related offenses? Our attorneys can help determine whether you are eligible for expungement of your record. Contact attorney Sasha Naiman (snaiman@ohiojpc.org or 513-421-1108 x20).
Incarcerated Survivors of Domestic Violence
Ohio’s severely-overcrowded prisons hold the fourth largest population of incarcerated women in the United States, and our female prison population is growing much faster than the male population. A percentage of this female prison population are women who defender their lives and the lives of their children against an abuser. OJPC’s Incarcerated Survivors of Domestic Violence project aims to find justice for these women, many of whom are serving life sentences for acts of self-defense.