Over the course of four public hearings held in 2005 in cities throughout the United States, commissioners collected voluminous testimony and supporting information from a broad and diverse array of experts and stakeholders.

In June 2006, the commission published Confronting Confinement, a comprehensive report of its findings, along with 30 practical recommendations for operating safe and effective correctional facilities. A report summary is also available.

Based on several of the recommendations, Vera launched the Segregation Reduction Project and the Corrections Support and Accountability Project, which partnered with two states and three large counties to create systems of oversight for correctional facilities that are tailored to meet each jurisdiction’s needs.

For more information about the Segregation Reduction Project, contact Angela Browne. For more information about Vera's work on prison oversight, contact Juliene James.