The U.S. criminal justice system is vast and opaque; imagining new ways of doing things­—and knowing where to start­—can be a daunting task. The Vera Institute of Justice (Vera)’s Justice Scholars program is a paid summer internship for rising high school juniors and seniors interested in the history of policing, prosecution, and corrections. But the Justice Scholars program doesn’t just teach young people about the criminal justice system. It gives them the tools to question the status quo, develop their own ideas, and see themselves as capable of changing the system for good. It allows them to imagine something better.

Toomi Al-Dhahi has directed the program since its beginning in 2021. Through a series of workshops, the scholars strengthen their critical thinking and explore their own values and interests. In this way it seeks to inspire scholars like high school junior Vivaan who, with his sights set on a business career, found himself naturally drawn to the topic of fair chance hiring and the many barriers formerly incarcerated people face when seeking employment. The scholars select one area of inquiry, culminating in a final research project with a member of Vera’s staff serving as a mentor.

We asked the 2026 Justice Scholars cohort to reflect on their experiences.

Seeing the system differently

Sophia L., a senior in high school, found the program to be educational in ways she didn’t expect. “I got a whole new lens on how our criminal justice system actually works, which needs to be worked on much more.” She learned about the effects of mass incarceration on pregnant people, finding that many state prison systems still don’t guarantee basics like an appropriate diet during pregnancy or breast pumps during the postpartum period.

Yawa, a high school junior, dug into mental health neglect in Alabama prisons and jails for her research project, including the case of Tony Mitchell, who died in custody in 2023 after being held in isolation without clothing following a mental health crisis. Observing how the program expanded her views of the system, Yawa shared, “I love that so many of my questions were answered, as I'm a really curious person, especially about the criminal justice system—I felt like I wasn't educated on that background.”

Vivaan reflected, “This experience literally means everything to me. . . I got to develop a new understanding of the world around me, especially through the legal and political lens.”

Learning through research, mentorship, and each other

Vera staff are a crucial component of the program. “A lot of the time [in internships, you are] told what to think or what to do instead of actually being in discussion with other people,” says East, a senior who examined educational programs as a means to promoting human dignity in prisons. Working alongside Vera staff, he says, gave him “a sense of hope that there are people who do care a lot about this work and do care about making a difference.”

Another student, junior Afarah, examined recreational spaces and youth community programs. With her own research focused on the positive effects of mentorship, she similarly valued the guidance of the Justice Scholars program itself. “This program means so much to me, both academically and then also socially,” she says. “We’ve had such a good mentor to guide us . . . the way [Toomi holds] space is very inspiring to witness.”

The students also valued the chance to learn from each other. Alia, a junior, noted, “This experience made me realize that, regardless of your age or experience, you should take the initiative to go out and do the research. From my fellow interns, I was so inspired—we connected on a deeper level and learned about hard topics.” She herself researched how funding reallocation can reduce recidivism rates and improve public safety, pointing to Norway as a model.

Being part of the change

The Justice Scholars were struck by the impact they could have at this early stage. Junior Yonatan produced a video on the fight to end cash bail as his final project, mapping the movement’s history and successes in New York and California—a tactic that could serve as a campaign strategy for ending cash bail elsewhere. “Having the opportunity as a high schooler to participate directly, be in the office, and talk to Vera employees doing direct research has been so cool,” he shared. “It feels like as someone so young, you’re already able to be part of making the world a better place.”

Sigrid, a senior, inspired by the film Sing Sing, researched the power of art to change people’s lives in the carceral system. She learned that alumni of Rehabilitation Through the Arts—a program that originated at Sing Sing Correctional Facility—have a recidivism rate under 3 percent, compared to a national rate of roughly 60 percent. This builds a powerful case, she argued, for expanding programs like it nationally. Reflecting on her time with Vera, Sigrid remarked, “This is the kind of workplace that people dream about.” She added: “You're part of such [an] influential space that’s produced so many amazing things over the decades it’s existed.”

Transforming the criminal justice system means expanding who gets a seat at the table by bringing young people into the work. As this year’s Justice Scholars head back to school, they carry that mission with them—a reminder that the fight for a more just system depends on the curiosity and courage of the next generation. For Yonatan, that may be the program’s most important lesson. “The ability to have open-mindedness here allows you to gain a new sense of how you view the world,” he said. “And that’s really powerful.”