Vera's Mission
The Vera Institute of Justice combines expertise in research, demonstration projects, and technical assistance to help leaders in government and civil society improve the systems people rely on for justice and safety.Recent Publications
- Legal Orientation Program
- The Guardianship Project
- Clinical Trials Project: Progress Report 10
- Enhancing Safety and Justice for Victims of Domestic Violence
Featured Issues
Overcoming Language Barriers in Law Enforcement
With almost 10 percent of U.S. residents having limited English proficiency, law enforcement officials face substantial communication challenges—and require increasing ingenuity—in doing their daily work. For example, to facilitate crowd control the Los Angeles Police Department recently began using electronic devices called Phraselators that communicate prerecorded commands in multiple languages.
Vera’s Translating Justice program is partnering with the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) to assess law enforcement agencies across the country to identify best practices for overcoming language barriers in policing. We are interested in learning about new technologies like the Phraselator, as well as other strategies, from bilingual staff recruitment to language training. Anyone representing a U.S. police department is encouraged to complete our assessment
MORE FEATURED ISSUES
Vera in Washington, DC
Vera established an office in Washington, DC, to bring its unique expertise more directly to bear on important national policy debates related to the administration of justice.
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