The Drug Enforcement and Policy Center aims to bridge the gap between academic research and policy realities by collaborating with academics, government leaders and other stakeholders to engage with and examine issues of interest and concern at the intersection of criminal justice and drug policy and enforcement.
The DEPC is always looking for opportunities to connect with community partners and other law schools to develop programming and community engagement efforts in line with the center’s mission.
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Ohio Governor’s Expedited Pardon Project
The Ohio Governor’s Expedited Pardon Project aims to expedite the process by which people apply for a pardon under Ohio’s laws. The project seeks to reduce challenges surrounding pardon applications in Ohio for people meeting certain criteria who can show that they have been rehabilitated and have contributed positively to their communities.
Governor DeWine launched the Ohio Governor's Expedited Pardon Project in 2019 in partnership with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC) and project team members the Drug Enforcement and Policy Center at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law and the Reentry Clinic at University of Akron School of Law.
Thanks to grant funding provided by ODRC, the project has expanded to include the following service providers:
- University of Akron School of Law
- The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
- Cleveland State University College of Law
- University of Dayton School of Law
- Ohio Justice & Policy Center
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Opportunity Port
Opportunity Port is an online portal that connects those with criminal records in Ohio with the legal help they need to complete record sealing and expungement applications. Record sealing and expungement enables those with criminal records to access vital resources, but the application process can be complex and time consuming. Persons seeking record sealing or expungement through Opportunity Port first complete a 5-minute survey on the website about their criminal record history. Eligible applicants then work with a legal partner to complete the application. Once filed, the court confirms the applicant’s eligibility, schedules a hearing, and the applicant attends a court hearing in front of a judge.
Opportunity Port began as a Columbus City Council initiative under the leadership of President Pro Tempore Rob Dorans. The goal was to simplify and streamline the process of completing and filing record sealing application in Franklin County, Ohio. The project was awarded $500,000 by The Ohio State University Alliance for the American Dream, a collaboration with Schmidt Futures, and brought to the Moritz College of Law to be managed by the Drug Enforcement and Policy Center (DEPC) in July 2021.
In the summer of 2023, Opportunity Port was awarded $75,000 by the Ohio Supreme Court’s Civil Justice Program to expand the project to additional locations across Ohio. With these funds, Opportunity Port was able to make its remote record sealing and expungement application assistance tool available in all Ohio counties.
Contact us
- Hannah Miller, project manager for Opportunity Port
- miller.5311@osu.edu
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Other Research and Service Partnerships
RTI International
The Drug Enforcement and Policy Center supports a project led by RTI International, in partnership with the Clean Slate Initiative, focused on classifying and evaluating the efficacy of various expungement schemes throughout the U.S. DEPC law students supported this effort during the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 academic years. Students compiled all relevant statutory law relating to expungement from select U.S. states to allow for classification of various government-initiated expungement efforts. In addition, DEPC faculty and staff have been serving as consultants to the RTI research team as they frame and pursue research inquiries.