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As part of our work, the ACLU of Southern California issues reports, position papers and advocacy materials that study and note developments in civil liberties. Below is a listing of some of our publications organized by issue.
Democracy depends on the public's right to know what its government is doing, so it can hold officials accountable. California voters recognized the fundamental importance of public access to documents by enshrining the right of access in the state constitution.
September 26, 2019
This report reveals troubling racial bias, unfairness, and overuse of the death penalty in Los Angeles under District Attorney Jackie Lacey's watch. Los Angeles voters have repeatedly rejected the death penalty at the ballot box, yet DA Lacey has continued to seek the death penalty in capital trials
June 18, 2019
Pepper spray, formally known as aerosolized oleoresin capsicum or "OC spray," is so toxic and dangerous that it is classified and regulated under state law as a form of tear gas.
May 22, 2019
Attending school is a daunting task for far too many young people in California struggling to find a place to call home. And yet, hundreds of thousands of students show up to class each day in California without knowing where they will sleep that night.
April 2, 2019
Orange County, in the midst of a dire homelessness crises, opened emergency shelters, giving hope to those who were living in punishing conditions on the streets. But what once was a symbol of hope has become a nightmare for many residents. A year-long investigation by the ACLU SoCal uncovered
March 14, 2019
Los Angeles, home to one of the largest police forces in the nation, has struggled with this question for decades, and has yet to settle on an answer that regularly ensures that officers who commit serious misconduct receive serious discipline.
November 29, 2018