This is the podcast that tells the story of civil liberties in Pennsylvania. You'll hear from our staff, our clients, and our allies about the most prominent civil liberties issues of the day.
Select video episodes of Speaking Freely are also available on our YouTube channel. Subscribe here.
People serving extreme prison sentences or who may be out of prison but find their lives complicated and harmed by a past conviction can seek relief through clemency, the process in which a sentence is commuted or a conviction is pardoned.
July 29, 2022
When the U.S. Supreme Court overturned its own precedents and ruled that access to abortion is not a right guaranteed by the Constitution, five justices did something that the Supreme Court has rarely done - rolled back an existing guarantee of liberty.
June 29, 2022
In this episode, we hear from Alex Domingos of ACLU-PA and the Dauphin County Bail Fund and Michelle Batt of the Lancaster Bail Fund. Alex and Michelle explain what a bail fund is and what role it plays in the work to end pretrial detention.
June 16, 2022
There are many public policies that have fed mass incarceration in Pennsylvania and in this country, from extreme sentencing to overpolicing to duplicate offenses that criminalize a single act. One of those policy choices is the commonwealth’s overuse of cash bail.
June 3, 2022
What does cannabis legalization look like? On this episode, we hear from Alison Holcomb, political director of the ACLU of Washington.
April 20, 2022
Students around the state returned to full-time, in-person instruction this school year, and their return revealed yet again the need for supports that help them succeed academically, socially, and emotionally.
April 7, 2022