Civil Liberties

Imagine you are driving home through Syracuse or the Hudson Valley after a long shift. A police officer pulls you over for a minor issue, like a cracked windshield. Suddenly, the officer asks to look in your backseat or checks under your floor mats. In New York, your...

Police officers can use force to detain an individual and take them into state custody. They can also use physical force when they choose to intervene in a crime in progress.  Generally speaking, officers should try to use the least amount of force they reasonably can...

Sometimes, the government engages in surveillance to protect public safety, but it can also go too far. When agencies track people without cause, they may violate privacy rights. Understanding their legal limits can help residents take steps to protect themselves from...

An arrest is meant to follow strict legal procedures, but there are instances when police officers violate a person’s civil rights. Understanding these violations can help protect your rights if you find yourself in such a situation. Using excessive force Police...

Title IX is a federal law that bans gender discrimination in schools and programs that receive federal funding. This law helps ensure students across the United States have equal opportunities.  Knowing how Title IX works can help students protect their rights and...

Governmental abuse of child protection laws can lead to serious civil rights violations. These laws are designed to protect the welfare of children, but when improperly applied, they can infringe upon constitutional rights such as due process and parental rights. The...

Civil rights issues cover a wide range of topics, all important for ensuring fairness and justice for everyone. Among these, racial discrimination stands out as a major and widespread problem that affects various aspects of society, including schools, jobs, and...

As social media platforms continue to grow, they become common places where harassment and discrimination occur. This digital misconduct can affect anyone, but it often targets individuals based on their race, gender, religion or sexual orientation. As these online...

Excessive force by police officers occurs when someone with a badge uses more physical power than necessary to control a situation or apprehend a suspect. This issue is partially responsible for the rise in debates about law enforcement practices and the need for...

New York Governor Kathy Hochul released a report showing how New York State is grappling with housing practices that the Civil Rights Fair Housing Act prohibits, including redlining. The authors of the report based their findings on community surveys that they...