Think Justice Blog

In St. Louis, It Takes a Small Army to Close a Notorious Jail

Local organizers have galvanized an entire region in favor of shutting down the Workhouse, a place they see as emblematic of official indifference towards the plight of needy residents.

A Vision for Change

Earlier this year, Kica Matos, a lawyer, community organizer, and advocate for immigrant communities for decades joined Vera as the new director for the Center on Immigration and Justice. At the same time, Insha Rahman—former director of Vera's project Greater...

Racial Disparities In Mental Health And Criminal Justice

July is Minority Mental Health Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about the unique challenges that underrepresented communities face in accessing mental health treatment in the U.S. As a mental health researcher at Vera, I also see this awareness mon...

The Public Wants Stories about Criminal Justice Reform

70 million adults in the United States have a criminal record. That’s one in every 3.5. Although I’m not among them, these 70 million have become a significant part of my life thanks to our “70 Million” podcast, for which I am the creator and executive p...

On World Population Day, We Should Reflect on Our Need to Reduce the Number of Americans Behind Bars

Today, World Population Day, is an opportunity to reflect on the startling fact that the United States makes up just 4.4 percent of the world’s population but holds 22 percent of the world’s incarcerated population. Individuals who advocate for criminal ju...

Series: Eliminating Money Injustice in New Orleans

Moving to Action on Ending Money Injustice

In this series on money injustice in New Orleans, we’re speaking with experts and advocates on the need to fundamentally rethink the use of money bail and conviction fees—which bear a disproportionate burden on poor communities and communities of color. Vera’s...

Vera mourns the loss of our colleague and justice champion Fred Patrick, and honors his life and legacy

We lost a good man this weekend. It is with profound sadness that we share news of the passing of our beloved colleague and friend Fred Patrick, director of our Center on Sentencing and Corrections (CSC). A mentor to many staff at Vera, Fred was a passionate a...

Series: Eliminating Money Injustice in New Orleans

How New Orleans Communities Rise Up Against Money Injustice

In this series on money injustice in New Orleans, we’re speaking with experts and advocates on the need to fundamentally rethink the use of money bail and conviction fees—which bear a disproportionate burden on poor communities and communities of color. Vera’s...

Series: Eliminating Money Injustice in New Orleans

Confronting the True Harms of Money Injustice

Last week, we interviewed Alison Shih—co-author of Vera’s recent report Paid in Full—that highlights the landscape of money injustice in New Orleans, and provides a roadmap for how the city could become the first in the nation to eliminate both money bail and ...

Juneteenth Offers an Opportunity to Reflect on Past Injustices—and the Need to Continue Addressing Them Today

Yesterday, many Americans celebrated the holiday known as Juneteenth, which commemorates the emancipation of enslaved Africans and Black Americans on June 19th, 1865, when news of emancipation reached Texas, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Junet...

Growing Momentum to Expand Access to Quality Postsecondary Education for People in Prison

The Vera Institute of Justice has long been and will remain committed to removing all barriers to high-quality postsecondary education in prison because of its transformative benefits, including the power to break the cycle of mass incarceration and poverty.

New York State Must Take Action to Reduce Opioid Overuse Deaths

For many people living with an opioid use disorder, the most dangerous time is the first two weeks after they return home from jail or prison. During that window, people are up to 129 times more likely to die of an opioid overdose than the general population....