Vera’s projects include evaluating an innovative drug treatment program for young people involved in the juvenile justice system; developing a new model for providing access to community services for people returning to their communities from Rikers Island jail; and helping New York City reduce its reliance on expensive state facilities for young people involved in crime. Vera researchers provide rigorous research and system analysis to help produce data-driven, evidence-based solutions.

Examples of Vera’s Research

• Evaluating Parole Risk and Supervision in New York State: Vera's Center on Sentencing and Corrections is helping the New York State Division of Parole to develop and implement a system of graduated responses to parole violations. Vera researchers are using statistical analysis to identify factors that predict parole violations and examine the impact of different types of responses on future violations and recidivism, with the goal of better understanding how violations can be prevented. The project also uses qualitative research to explore in more detail the events and circumstances leading up to parole violations, how officers makes decisions to respond to violations, and the types of administrative responses that would be useful.
   
• Enhancing Services for Rikers Island Inmates Reentering their Communities: People leaving jails face a range of problems related to their drug and alcohol use, physical and mental health, unemployment, and homelessness. Vera’s Substance Use and Mental Health Program is using information from New York City’s Department of Correction Inmate Information System, interviews conducted with those held in the jail, and reviews of national best practices to develop a new transition model that will provide people coming out of jail with greater, more targeted access to community service providers. Research staff will test this transition model in a real setting at Rikers Island jail and allow researchers to collect data to evaluate the new model.

• Understanding Juvenile Detention Risk Through Research: The Center on Youth Justice's New York City Detention Reform Project worked with a group of high-level New York City stakeholders to develop an objective risk assessment instrument for juvenile detention. This empirically developed tool—the first of its kind in the juvenile detention setting—helps judges make decisions about detention admissions based on factors statistically related to a youth’s likelihood of rearrest or failure to appear for trial. Used alongside a continuum of community-based alternative programs, the city is already seeing a shift in judicial detention decisions at arraignment, with detention beds being reserved for the riskiest cases.

Vera’s Researchers

Vera researchers come from across the globe, from many professional backgrounds, and with many distinctive and complementary careers and skill sets. They have advanced degrees and extensive experience in criminology, public policy, sociology, political science, history, market research, and developmental economics. Staff contribute to the store of basic and applied knowledge by publishing their work, presenting and vetting it in varied settings, and providing background and briefings to elected officials, civil servants, the public, and media. Although research staff approach their work from a variety of perspectives, the department is united by its common mission and values.

For more information about Vera's research, please contact Michael Jacobson or Siobhan Carney.