Vera works to promote the well-being and safety of children and youth by making the government systems they are involved in more equitable and humane in policy and practice.

Vera helps policymakers and practitioners identify cost-effective criminal and juvenile justice interventions by providing them with information about the costs and benefits of program and policy options.

In collaboration with judges, prosecutors, defenders, and administrators, Vera works to make court systems fairer and more efficient.

Vera helps local communities and government officials strive to reduce crime by focusing on discrete problems and crafting innovative responses that prevent crime, hold offenders accountable, and heal.

Vera works with staff from justice systems and government agencies to help them deliver their services to people with disabilities in appropriate, accessible ways.

Vera's immigration work focuses on increasing detained immigrants’ access to legal information and counsel and improving relationships between immigrant communities and law enforcement officials.

Vera works with other countries to develop policies and practices to improve their justice systems. Most of this work is done with members of the Altus Global Alliance, which offers its members and the field generally a global perspective on issues of safety and justice, a greater capacity to work multilaterally, and a larger role for civil society in advancing justice.

Vera works with law enforcement and government agencies to reduce crime and promote efficient policing while improving public safety.

Vera helps officials in criminal and juvenile justice systems to reduce the overrepresentation of racial and ethnic minorities in those systems.

In partnership with sentencing and corrections officials, Vera works to promote fairness and consistency in sentencing, enhance community-based supervision, and reduce jail and prison overcrowding.

Vera helps government and community-based organizations create services and policies designed to help people who use substances or have psychiatric disorders avoid criminal or juvenile justice involvement and receive the services they need to achieve stable community living.