Campaigns
Fighting for Criminal Justice Reform & Community Safety
Since our founding in 2007, we have fought to end mass incarceration and create a more racially and economically equitable Ohio. Our community-led campaigns work to reform the criminal justice system at state and local levels. And we are building a broad-based movement to end the criminalization of poverty and win investment in people and communities.
Our Work
In 2011, OOC launched a listening campaign in communities focused on building power around racial and economic justice issues during the great recession. What emerged from Black leaders in neighborhoods in Akron, Cincinnati, Columbus was clear -- felony records were holding many of our neighbors back from opportunities for housing, employment/careers; and education.
The leaders developed during that season went on to organize thousands more Ohioans into campaigns to win criminal justice reforms at the local and state level like fair housing policies, collateral sanctions reforms, drug policy reform and more.
In Fall 2020, formerly incarcerated staff and leaders connected to the OOC launched their own membership organization. Building Freedom Ohio (BFO) is a vehicle for people directly impacted by the criminal legal system to lead the fight for transformation and liberation.
Our Victories
In 2012, following years of organizing and policy work, the OOC and our partner Ohio Justice and Policy Center (OJPC) won collateral sanction reform, increasing opportunity for 1.9 million Ohioans with criminal records by removing barriers that prevented returning citizens from obtaining occupational and professional licenses.
In a span of two years, OOC member organizations won 14 fair hiring local ordinances in communities across the state.
In 2015, OOC and OJPC crafted and successfully passed the Ohio Fair Hiring Act, which “bans the box” that asks about applicants’ criminal records on all public job applications.
In 2017, OOC and OJPC passed the Targeted Community Alternatives to Prison (TCAP) program through the state budget. TCAP expands funding for counties to divert nonviolent offenders away from state prison and into community treatment and rehabilitation programs.
In 2017 in Columbus, OOC affiliates Columbus People’s Partnership and the People’s Justice Project won a major victory when, after months of direct action calling for police accountability and investment in new safety priorities, the city agreed to end the controversial Summer Safety Initiative and move funds into public health and community safety programs.
In 2018, we worked with state and national partners, including the Alliance for Safety and Justice, to launch a statewide criminal justice reform ballot initiative, where 7,000 leaders and volunteers successfully collected over 100,000 signatures, adding to the 730,000 signatures submitted to qualify the initiative and place it on the ballot.
Through the 2018 initiative, we effectively changed the conversation about criminal justice in the state of Ohio, resulting in the introduction of Senate Bill 3 in the Ohio General Assembly.
In 2021, OOC and Building Freedom Ohio (BFO) won Issue 24 in Cleveland. Issue 24 established a new Community Police Commission in Cleveland, with sweeping powers to enact police discipline, propose better police practices, and implement mandatory de-escalation and crisis intervention training for officers.
In 2023, BFO led field efforts for Issue 38, a participatory budgeting initiative that would allocate $14 million dollars towards community projects in Cleveland.
Our Key Campaigns
Ending collateral sanctions at the state and federal levels that prevent returning citizens from getting work, housing, education, licensing, insurance, and more.
Achieving juvenile justice reform in Ohio, particularly the harmful practice of mandatory bindover (which disproportionately impacts Black youth in our cities)
Abolishing the death penalty in Ohio, an incredibly costly sentencing option that remains deeply unpopular among Ohioans
