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Gus Marks-Hamilton shares his powerful journey from teenage arrest through incarceration to becoming an advocate for criminal justice reform with the ACLU's Smart Justice Campaign.
• Growing up in a stable middle-class family with teacher parents before first encountering the legal system at age 16
• Finding structure and purpose through employment at Blockbuster Video after his initial arrest
• Experiencing the devastating impact of policy changes while incarcerated that arbitrarily extended his sentence
• Navigating the challenges of halfway houses and probation during reentry without meaningful support
• Pursuing education after release, earning a Master's in Social Work despite barriers for people with felony convictions
• Successfully receiving a pardon in 2023 after a lengthy, emotional application process
• Channeling lived experience into advocacy work to create systemic change in Connecticut's criminal legal system
After navigating the challenges of halfway houses, probation, educational discrimination, and the emotionally grueling pardon process, Gus now works with the ACLU's Smart Justice Campaign. His powerful insight – "I'm the best version of myself when I'm connected to other people" – has become both personal philosophy and professional mission. He's transformed from someone caught in the system to someone working to fundamentally change it.
Whether you're personally impacted by the criminal legal system, work within it, or simply want to understand its human toll, Gus's story offers hope. Connect with him on social media to learn how you can join the movement for a more just system that truly enables rehabilitation and community connection.
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About Gus:
Gus Marks-Hamilton is the campaign manager at the ACLU of Connecticut. He joined the ACLU-CT Smart Justice campaign in 2018 to advocate for fair, just and humane policy reforms to the criminal legal system. Gus’s primary responsibilities include building the ACLU-CT’s advocacy infrastructure, strengthening its partnerships with key stakeholders, prioritizing directly impacted communities and individuals, and executing strategic issue-based campaigns. Gus is passionate about promoting the civic and political engagement of people who have been directly impacted by the criminal legal system and has lobbied for dozens of pieces of legislation to protect people’s civil rights and liberties.
Gus is a Licensed Master Social Worker and received his master’s degree from the University of Connecticut School of Social Work, where he is also an Adjunct Professor. He is a board member at Community Partners In Action which provides services for people affected by the criminal legal system, proud uncle to his nieces and nephews and compliant human companion to his dog, Frank