Apr 5, 2013   Marie Carchedi, an intern in Vera’s Washington, DC office, and Nancy Smith, director of Vera’s Center on Victimization and Safety, contributed to this post.    Despite the alarmingly high rates of violence people with disabilities and Deaf people experience in our country, the issue remains a hidden problem that rarely gets the attention it deserves. On March 27, Vera hosted a congressional staff briefing that provided an opportunity to raise the...

Mar 15, 2013 By Bruce Frederick, senior research associate, Center on Sentencing and Corrections   Prosecutors enjoy broad discretion in making decisions that influence criminal case outcomes. They make pivotal decisions throughout the life of a case, from deciding what charges to file to crafting plea offers and recommending sentences. Yet there is little systematic oversight of the...

Mar 6, 2013 This post was co-written by Theresa Sgobba. In early February, the National Juvenile Defender Center (NJDC), supported by the MacArthur Foundation’s Models for Change initiative, released the...

Mar 1, 2013 The House of Representatives this week passed reauthorization of the Leahy-Crapo Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). The legislation, passed last month by the Senate, has now gone to President Obama for his signature. This latest reauthorization of the 1994 law represents an important step toward all victims receiving services...

Jan 22, 2013 We are approaching the end of January, which is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. But we are not seeing the end of modern-day slavery. Human trafficking is a hidden but growing phenomenon both outside and within U.S. borders. Many victims of trafficking, particularly women and children, are exploited for purposes of prostitution and pornography. However, trafficking also takes place in diverse...