A column from Errol Louis in the New York Daily News questions some uses of incarceration, especially given how expensive it can be to keep a person in prison each year. He examines Texas and New York as states that have enacted policies that have led to smaller prison populations. Lewis also points to California as a state with policies that may, in fact, lead to prison overcrowding.

Michael Jacobson, Vera's director, is quoted throughtout the piece, saying at one point, "You can very significantly reduce the number of people you put in jail and prison and get more public safety at the same time."