Events
The center aims to bridge the gap between academic research and policy realities by providing a space where academics, government leaders and other stakeholders can engage and collaborate on examining issues of interest and concern. To do so, the center will host conferences and symposia to educate and bring awareness to drug policy and enforcement issues. The center aspires to provide stakeholders with programming and materials that can aid them in their day-to-day work and create a forum to discuss the challenges presented by this field.
DEPC Student Film Discussion Series:
The Vanishing Trial
December 10, 2021 | Optional group watch: 6 p.m., Discussion: 7 p.m. | Zoom
Moritz College of Law students are invited to join the Drug Enforcement and Policy Center for a screening and discussion of The Vanishing Trial. In lieu of food, attendees will receive a $10 Hot Chicken Takeover gift card or BuckID credit after the discussion.
Prosecutorial Elections: The New Frontline in Criminal Justice Reform
February 19, 2021 | 10:15 a.m.–5 p.m. | Zoom
The Ohio State Journal of Criminal Law, together with the Drug Enforcement and Policy Center, will host a live symposium featuring a range of speakers and panels conducted via Zoom.
Understanding Drug Sentencing Symposium
October 7-8, 2021
The Drug Enforcement and Policy Center and the Academy for Justice will explore the myriad issues surrounding drug sentencing and its contribution to mass incarceration and mass punishment during this major symposium. In addition to inviting academics, researchers, lawmakers, and advocates to discuss sound drug sentencing policies, this event will provide space for current and former prosecutors, defense attorneys, and judges to discuss drug sentencing practices.
Learn more at u.osu.edu/drugsentencing. The call for papers ended November 1, 2020.
Registration coming soon.
PAST EVENTS
DEPC Open House
November 23, 2020 | noon-1 p.m. EST | Zoom
Drug Enforcement and Policy Center hosted an open house for Ohio State graduate students looking to engage with the center. Center faculty and staff discussed the various research projects they are working on as well as student opportunities including writing competitions, research paper series, research assistant positions and more.
Drug Policy Implications of the 2020 Elections
November 16, 2020 | 1–2:15 p.m. EST | Zoom
DEPC hosted a panel of experts for a post-election discussion of the 2020 election results and what they were likely to mean for drug enforcement and policy at both the state and federal level.
Panelists:
John Hudak, deputy director of the Center for Effective Public Management and a senior fellow in Governance Studies, Brookings Institution
Maritza Perez, director of the Office of National Affairs, Drug Policy Alliance
Tamar Todd, legal director, New Approach PAC
Moderator:
Douglas A. Berman, executive director, Drug Enforcement and Policy Center
Legalize it? Marijuana Law in our Federalist System
November 12, 2020 | 12:10–1:15 p.m. EST | Zoom
Moritz Federalist Society and DEPC co-hosted a panel discussion with Tom Haren of Franz Ward, LLP, Jonathan Adler of Case Western Reserve University, and Dr. David Murray of the Hudson Institute.
Watch a recording of the event on the Moritz Federalist Society YouTube page.
Fighting for a Second Look: Efforts in Ohio and Across the Nation
Wednesday, September 2, 2020 | 2-3:00 p.m. EST
Draconian sentencing laws and practices, stretching back decades, have yielded countless excessive prison terms nationwide. As public awareness of this problem mounts, legal advocates and scholars, including the American Law Institute, have urged new legal mechanisms to allow courts to revisit unnecessarily long sentences. In that spirit, the Ohio Justice & Policy Center and Drug Enforcement and Policy Center teamed up to create a writing competition for law students and recent graduates to propose such a "second-look statute" for Ohio.
This webinar brought together leading advocates to discuss efforts across the country to create second-look provisions, as well as to announce the winner of the writing competition.
Learn more on the contest page.
Creating a Felony Sentencing Database: Moving Ohio Forward
Monday, August 17, 2020 | 1:00-2:30 p.m. EST
The Ohio Criminal Sentencing Commission is embarking on an effort to create a felony sentencing database which can and will enhance public confidence and trust in Ohio’s criminal justice system by making information accessible, consumable, and reportable.
This virtual discussion focused on the importance of such data and statewide and national perspectives on how it can be used to advance criminal justice reform, inform judicial decision-making, and contribute to a safer, fairer, and more cost-efficient criminal justice system.
Panelists:
Judge Pierre Bergeron, First District Court of Appeals
Douglas A. Berman, executive director, Drug Enforcement and Policy Center, The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
Associate Justice Michael Donnelly, Supreme Court of Ohio
Judge Ray Headen, Eighth District Court of Appeals
Ryan King, professor and chair, Department of Sociology, The Ohio State University College of Arts and Sciences
Judge Gene Zmuda, Sixth District Court of Appeals
Moderator:
Sara Andrews, director, Ohio Criminal Sentencing Commission
A video recording and transcript of this virtual event is available on our 2020 Summer Sentencing Workshops page.
The Power of Data: Impact on Criminal Justice Reform
Tuesday, July 28, 2020 | 1-2:15 p.m. EST
The spread of COVID-19 in the country’s jails and prisons and the killing of George Floyd and subsequent demands for change have highlighted a fact long lamented by scholars and criminal justice practitioners – the lack of consistent and up-to-date data regarding all facets of the criminal justice system. Advocacy for criminal justice reform too often overlooks the fact that, without accurate and timely data, policymakers and advocates are unable to address effectively the harms of past policies or react nimbly during a crisis.
During the second installment of the Summer 2020 NASC Virtual Workshop Series, panelists addressed the impact of data on the criminal justice system. The workshop began with a short presentation by Professor John Pfaff, author of Locked In, followed by a moderated discussion.
Panelists:
John Pfaff, professor of law, Fordham University
Anne Precythe, director, Missouri Department of Corrections
Michael Schmidt, executive director, Oregon Criminal Justice Commission; incoming District Attorney, Multnomah County
Moderator:
Sara Andrews, director, Ohio Criminal Sentencing Commission
A video recording and transcript of this virtual event is available on our 2020 Summer Sentencing Workshops page.
The Work of Sentencing Commissions in Time of Change
Thursday, June 25, 2020 | 1:30-2:45 p.m. EST
The spring of 2020 has brought unprecedented levels of societal upheaval, both as a result of the COVID-19 public health emergency and the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Sentencing Commissions around the country have been asked not only to plan for an uncertain future with uncertain budgets, but to address the ongoing inequalities and injustices within the criminal justice system.
The first installment of the Summer 2020 NASC Virtual Workshop Series will bring together leaders from sentencing commissions and the judiciary. Panelists will discuss the role sentencing commissions should seek to play during this tumultuous time and how, through data collection or other means, they can positively contribute to ongoing criminal justice reform conversations while adjusting to budget uncertainties. Discussion will also address plans and activities of some state commissions, and attendees will be given the opportunity to discuss their work during these tumultuous times.
Panelists:
Judge Stephen L. McIntosh, Franklin County, Ohio and member, Ohio Criminal Sentencing Commission
Meredith Farrar-Owens, director, Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission
Mark H. Bergstrom, executive director, Pennsylvania Sentencing Commission
Kelly Lyn Mitchell, chair, Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission
Moderator:
Douglas A. Berman, executive director, Drug Enforcement and Policy Center, The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
Ohio Governor’s Expedited Pardon Project Question & Answer Series
June 24, 2:30 p.m. | June 30, 12 p.m. | July 9, 1 p.m.
In collaboration with the Ohio Association of Local Reentry Coalitions, the Reentry Clinic at the University of Akron School of Law and the Drug Enforcement and Policy Center at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law are hosting a series of virtual question and answer sessions on the Ohio Governor's Expedited Pardon Project.
The Question & Answer Series aims to provide community organizations with all the information they need to support qualifying community members in obtaining an expedited pardon in Ohio.
The sessions build on a 20-minute online training video, which explains the eligibility criteria and the steps applicants need to take to apply. We ask all attendees to watch the video prior to attending the Q&A session, and to come ready to ask questions.
The Controlled Substances Act at 50 Conference
In February of 2020, to mark a half-century of drug policy under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), the Drug Enforcement and Policy Center at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law and the Academy for Justice at the Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law co-sponsored a conference in Phoenix, Arizona to look back on how the CSA has helped shape modern American drug laws and policies and to look forward toward the direction these laws could and should take in the next 50 years.
For post-event resources and outputs, visit the conference event page.
When: February 20-22, 2020
Where: Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law in Phoenix, Arizona
Cannabiz Roundtable on Hemp and CBD
The Drug Enforcement and Policy Center and the Center for Innovation Strategies hosted From Reefer Madness to Hemp Utopia: CBD, Hemp and the Evolving Regulation of Commoditized Cannabis as part of the ongoing Cannabiz Roundtable discussion. The event featured a panel of experts as they discussed the challenges of regulating the unusual agricultural commodity that is hemp and the myriad products infused with one of its derivatives, CBD.
Learn more on the full event page.
When: Friday, January 24, 7:30-9:30 a.m.
Where: 2nd Floor Rotunda, Mason Hall
One and Done: How My Life Got Started When My Football Career Ended with Maurice Clarett
The Drug Enforcement and Policy Center hosted a special lunch event with former Ohio State football player Maurice Clarett. Clarett discussed his new autobiography, One and Done: How My Life Started When My Football Career Ended, touching on identity, mental health, incarceration, the criminal justice system and his work to improve the lives of struggling student athletes.
Learn more on the full event page.
When: Friday, November 25, noon - 1 p.m.
Where: Drinko Hall 244
Conversation with Zac Bolitho: An Insider’s View of the U.S. Sentencing Commission
The Drug Enforcement and Policy Center hosted a lunch conversation with Mr. Zachary Bolitho, an Assistant Professor at the Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law at Campbell University. Bolitho discussed his work as the Chief of Staff and Associate Deputy Attorney General for former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and his experience of serving as the Department of Justice’s ex officio member of the U.S. Sentencing Commission.
Prior to Campbell Law, Bolitho served as a federal prosecutor with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee and was a litigation associate with the law firm Jones Day and a law clerk to Judge David W. McKeague of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
He received his J.D., summa cum laude, from The Ohio State University, Moritz College of Law.
When: Friday, November 15, noon - 1 p.m.
Where: Drinko Hall 246
Cannabiz Innovation Sprint Final Pitch
The second annual Ohio State Cannabiz Innovation Sprint will concluded with a Final Pitch featuring the top five proposals for innovative ideas for the cannabis industry. Proposals resulted from an 8-week workshop co-hosted by the Drug Enforcement and Policy Center (DEPC) and the Center for Innovation Strategies (CIS).
The Cannabiz Innovation Sprint guides multidisciplinary student teams through a comprehensive process to develop disruptive solutions to one of today’s most unique emerging markets: cannabis. Throughout the workshops and into the Final Pitch, students gain access to cannabis industry leaders looking for student talent for both employment and investment opportunities. To find out more, please visit the u.osu.edu/cannabizsprint.
When: Thursday, November 14, 2019 | 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Where: Mason Hall, 2nd Floor Rotunda, 250 W Woodruff Ave, Columbus, Ohio
Issue 1 One Year Later
One year after Ohio voters soundly rejected a criminal justice reform ballot initiative known as Issue 1, legislative leaders and experts looked at the past and future of drug and criminal justice reforms in the State of Ohio and beyond. The event was co-hosted by the Buckeye Institute, the Drug Enforcement and Policy Center and the Ohio Criminal Sentencing Commission.
After Ohio voters in November 2018 soundly rejected Issue 1, both proponents and opponents of the initiative proclaimed their commitment to enacting at least some of its elements through the legislative process. Public officials, including many who opposed Issue 1, expressed interest in various reform proposals that would soften punitive approaches to drug addiction and non-violent drug crimes and would increase treatment options for those suffering from substance use disorder.
Now, one year later, the story of reform is still in development, with the Ohio General Assembly considering a number of criminal justice reform proposals but no changes enacted into law as of now. Meanwhile, significant sentencing and prison reforms were enacted at the federal level, which has helped propel state level reforms in other states. This forum closely examined the past and future outlook of criminal justice reforms in the State of Ohio and explore the state of criminal justice reform at the national level.
Learn more and watch video of the event at u.osu.edu/cjreform.
FIRST STEP Act: Conversation with Jonathan Wroblewski, Director, Office of Policy and Legislation, Criminal Division, U.S. DOJ
Jonathan Wroblewski serves as the Director of the Office of Policy and Legislation in the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, and he has also directed Harvard Law School's Semester in Washington Program for a decade. He will speak generally about the history of sentencing and corrections in the U.S., and specifically about how best to understand the landmark new FIRST STEP Act, its place in US criminal justice history, and where we might go next. Please register below to join the Drug Enforcement and Policy Center for lunch and a lively discussion (lunch will be served).
WHEN: October 18, 2019, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
WHERE: Drinko Hall 246
Lisa McGirr
Professor, History Department
Harvard University
In her latest book, The War on Alcohol: Prohibition and the Rise of the American State, Lisa McGirr revises our understanding of the Prohibition years. The 1920s were not just about gin joints and Jazz; McGirr emphasizes, instead, the serious and long-lasting legacies of the ban on alcohol. McGirr charts how the ban built the edifice of the federal penal state, fueled the Ku Klux Klan’s power, reshaped politics, and served as a dress rehearsal for the much larger and longer lasting war on drugs.
When: Friday, October 4, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Where: Barrister Club
David Singleton
Executive Director, Ohio Justice and Policy Center
Please join the Drug Enforcement and Policy Center for a discussion with Mr. David Singleton, Executive Director of the Ohio Justice and Policy Center, about their new initiative Beyond Guilt. The initiative, featured recently in a New York Times article, addresses the plight of individuals who are often forgotten by criminal justice reform groups, those that have admitted guilt and were convicted of more serious offenses, including violent crimes.
When: Wednesday, October 2, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Where: Drinko Hall 245
Cannabiz Innovation Sprint Kick Off
The Drug Enforcement & Policy Center is partnering with the Center for Innovation Strategies for the second annual Cannabiz Innovation Sprint. For 5-weeks, teams of students from a number of disciplines will go through five 1-hour workshops to develop cutting-edge innovative concepts to one of today's most unique emerging markets.
The sprint will conclude with a final pitch event on November 14, 2019, attended by the cannabis industry leaders looking for student talent to employ for future internships and investment opportunities. Additionally, there will be up to $3,000 in prizes given away! To find out more, please visit the Sprint website.
When: September 26, 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Where: Drinko Hall 244
Record Sealing Information Session
On September 17, Professor Douglas Berman discusses why record sealing and related work is the next frontier in criminal justice reform, and recent Moritz grad Tori Edwards discussed the impact such work can have on people with a criminal conviction and provide information to our students regarding record sealing eligibility, how the record sealing process works, and how to apply to get a record sealed in Franklin County. If you are interested in finding out more about how you can help people with applying for clemency and record sealing, please contact Jana Hrdinova at hrdinova.1@osu.edu.
Buckeyes in Cannabis
The US legal cannabis industry has grown into a multi-billion-dollar sector, employing over 200,000 people. With the state of Ohio legalizing medical cannabis and its neighbors embracing full legalization, Ohio State students and graduates are dynamically engaging with this industry and its impacts in various ways and in various settings.
Buckeyes in Cannabis provided an opportunity for all Buckeyes who work in or around this industry, as well as those in government/public policy roles related to cannabis law and policy, to come together to network and discuss emerging cannabis issues and the future of cannabis reform in the state of Ohio and nationally.
To find out more, please visit https://u.osu.edu/buckeyesincannabis/
Lawyering in the Cannabis Space
The cannabis industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the United States, projected to reach over 200,000 full-time employees in 2019 and expected to grow to $47.3 billion in sales by 2027. Yet, the birth of this new multi-billion industry is being accompanied by a lot of unusual challenges, risks, and opportunities mainly driven by the murky legal status of its product.
On September 6 the center organized a lunch discussion with legal professionals who practice in the cannabis space to enable students to learn about what it takes to serve this industry.
Panelists:
- Luis Alcalde , Kegler Brown Hill + Ritter
- Benton Bodamer, Dickinson Wright
- Eliott Frank, Sadis & Goldberg LLP
- Tod Friedman, Schottenstein Property Group
- Jennifer Nelson-Carney, Bricker & Eckler
- David Patton, Patton Law Firm LLC