Ballpark figure

aaustin — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 15:44:22 -0600

We often hear the collateral consequences of the criminal justice system described in individual terms—the impact on a formerly incarcerated person’s ability to acquire housing, to parent his or her children, to exercise rights of citizenship. We think less often about the consequences to communities—in particular, poor, urban, black communities.

Your donation will now go twice as far

jlevy — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 10:00:42 -0600

When you give to Vera, you can now double the impact of your contribution. Please help us take advantage of a new challenge grant. Every dollar you donate will be matched, up to $1 million. Donate securely online and help make our justice systems fairer and more effective.

Eric Holder, speaking as a father

mdizerega — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:31:31 -0600

Attorney General Eric Holder, speaking at a Fatherhood Town Hall hosted by Morehouse College, emphasized the importance of family connections in helping people transition home from prison.

“Family connections improve public safety, and responsible and engaged parenting improves public safety," he said. "It’s time we started to think about this issue in that context.”

''What does your family look like at its best?''

rshanahan — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:18:50 -0600

Last week I was in Fort Worth, Texas, at the invitation of Mercy Heart, a nonprofit organization that “assists families and children of inmates through and beyond the transitions of incarceration.” Over two days I trained community-based service providers to use families as a resource for people who are in or returning from jail or prison.

Will you accept this call?

mdizerega — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 12:48:45 -0600

It was reassuring to read a recent New York Times editorial criticizing the New York State Court of Appeals’ decision against refunding family members for the high cost of collect calls from loved ones in prison. This ruling comes more than two years after the state legislature passed a bill requiring competitive phone rates in correctional facilities. The law reinforces what we already know—that such calls are an essential way for families to stay in touch.

Recent testimony on mandatory sentencing for drug possession

mjacobson — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:12:12 -0600

I testified last week before Canada's Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, which is considering a legislative package requiring mandatory sentences for a host of drug possession and drug sale crimes.

Vera researchers at American Society of Criminology annual meeting

mjacobson — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:10:30 -0600

Many Vera researchers will be presenting their work at the annual meeting of the American Society of Criminology, which begins today and continues through Saturday in Philadelphia. They will be covering a range of topics, including juvenile corrections, immigration, and cost-benefit analysis. Below is a complete list of Vera presenters and their topics.