Vera Institute of Justice | Vera Institute

Vera Institute of Justice

Donate
Vera Institute of Justice
  • Issues
    Vera is committed to:
    • Securing Equal Justice
      Securing Equal Justice
      • Supporting Immigrants
      • Reaching All Victims
      • Disabilities and Deaf People
      • Racial Bias in Prosecution
    • Ending Mass Incarceration
      Ending Mass Incarceration
      • Responding to COVID-19
      • Reducing the Use of Jails
      • Dignity Behind Bars
      • Providing Second Chances
      • Scoping the Problem
    • Strengthening Families & Communities
      Strengthening Families and Communities
      • Kids and Young Adults
      • Community and Family
      • Access to Health Care
    All Issues
  • Work
    We study problems, pilot solutions, harness the power of evidence, and catalyze public debate
    • Research & Analysis
      Our library of publications, data tools, videos, and websites
    • Projects
      We implement solutions and advance innovation in justice reform
    • Special Reports
      Media-rich visual stories and explainers about justice reform
    • Spotlights
      Curated collections of our work focused on current events
    • Our Experts
      We conduct cutting-edge research, analyze policy, and pilot programs
  • Blog
  • About
    • About Us
      Learn about our mission, vision, values, and priorities
    • President's Message
      Read about the new Vera era from President Nick Turner
    • Board of Trustees
      Meet the board of trustees
    • People
      Meet the people behind Vera's work
    • Centers & Programs
      Find out about our Centers & Programs
    • Financials
      View our most recent financial information
Donate
Projects
Projects

Reshaping Prosecution

  • Jamila Hodge - Project Director
    Jamila Hodge
Related work
  • Overview
  • Learn More
  • Related Work
  • Team
  • Become a Partner Office
  • Black Women Lead
  • Motion For Justice
Loading

Featured

Motion for Justice

An initiative focused on centering racial equity in prosecution reform

Motion for Justice is a product of the Dignity, Racial Justice, and Prosecution Initiative led by the Vera Institute of Justice’s Reshaping Prosecution program and John Jay College of Criminal Justice’s Institute for Innovation in Prosecution.

Resource Site
September 23, 2020
Resource Site

How can we change a system set up to control Black people? By radically dismantling it.

The senseless and violent deaths of Black people—like George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and David McAtee—at the hands of law enforcement are not isolated incidents. They are examples of an unjust and oppressive system that is weaponized against Black people. Though the just prosecution of officers involved in acts of police brutality is necessary, it h ...

Blog Post
  • Jamila Hodge
    Jamila Hodge
June 10, 2020
Blog Post

What’s in a Name? A Small Step Prosecutors Can Take to Build a More Humane System

Prosecutors are supposed to dehumanize people charged with crimes. That’s what we’re taught in law school. As my professor instructed, if you’re a prosecutor, always refer to the person accused as “the defendant.” Using “defendant” distances the judge or jury from seeing the accused as a person and makes it easier to pass judgment on them. But if y ...

Blog Post
  • Akhi Johnson
    Akhi Johnson
July 24, 2020
Blog Post

Related Work

Refine
Grid / List
Clear All Selected
Content Type
Search by Keyword
Select Date Range
to

What Happened When Boston Stopped Prosecuting Nonviolent Crimes

Although her victory was hailed by progressives, critics expressed concern that the policy shift could lead to increased crime. Yet, Rollins made her intentions clear: the misdemeanor charges on the decline-to-prosecute list are often driven by poverty, mental health issues, substance use, and social issues more appropriately addressed outside the ...

Blog Post
  • Jamila Hodge
    Jamila Hodge
  • Seleeke Flingai
    Seleeke Flingai
April 02, 2021
Blog Post

Reshaping Prosecution in St. Louis

Lessons from the Field

Prosecutors wield tremendous power. They decide whom to charge—and with what offense—whether to ask for bail, when to provide evidence to the defense, and what plea offer to make. For decades, prosecutors have used their discretion in ways that contribute to mass incarceration and racial disparities in the criminal legal system. However, communiti ...

Publication
  • Akhi Johnson, Stephen Roberts
October 14, 2020
Publication

Event: We've Got the Power

A Virtual Event on the Power of District Attorneys in Criminal Justice

District attorneys wield enormous power in the criminal legal system. They have the power to decide the fate of people accused of crimes at every stage of a criminal case. They have tremendous sway over other actors throughout the criminal legal system, including policing practices and enforcement. We, the people, have the power to influence how th ...

Video
July 28, 2020
Video

Embracing Human Dignity

Annual Report 2018

The Vera Institute of Justice is working to radically transform incarceration in America by replacing punishing practices with an approach that prioritizes compassion, true accountability, healing, restoration, opportunity, and hope. Learn more about our commitment to human dignity in our annual report 2018.

Publication
December 14, 2018
Publication

Unlocking the Black Box of Prosecution

Special Report
October 25, 2018
Special Report

A Prosecutor's Guide for Advancing Racial Equity

Black and Latino people are overrepresented in the U.S. criminal justice system. While racial disparity in case outcomes is often attributed to law enforcement practices or judicial decision making, the role of prosecutors is overlooked. In fact, prosecutors have wide discretionary power in case processing decisions—from initial screening, charging ...

Publication
  • Prosecution and Racial Justice Program
March 03, 2015
Publication

Race and Prosecution in Manhattan

Racial and ethnic disparities in the criminal justice system are often seen as the result of law enforcement practices and/or judicial decision making. The role of prosecutors, however, is regularly overlooked. Prosecutors have wide discretion when it comes to initial screening, charging, bail, and pretrial detention recommendations, as well as div ...

Publication
  • Besiki Kutateladze, Whitney Tymas, Mary Crowley
July 08, 2014
Publication

Anatomy of Discretion

An Analysis of Prosecutorial Decision Making

Prosecuting attorneys enjoy exceptionally broad discretion in making decisions that influence criminal case outcomes. They make pivotal decisions throughout the life of a case with little public or judicial scrutiny. With support from the National Institute of Justice, the Vera Institute of Justice undertook research to better understand how prosec ...

Publication
December 01, 2012
Publication

Prosecution and Racial Justice

Using Data to Advance Fairness in Criminal Prosecution

Vera’s Prosecution and Racial Justice Program (PRJ) works with district attorneys and their staffs to collect and analyze data that can identify inappropriate racial disparities in prosecutorial decision making and guide corrective action when necessary. This report discusses PRJ’s methods and identifies lessons learned from its government partners ...

Publication
  • Wayne McKenzie
February 28, 2009
Publication
Sorry, no results found.
You have reached the end of this stream
Loading

In the News

Vera Institute Partners with First of 10 New Prosecutors’ Offices to Reduce Racial Disparities in Prosecution by 20 Percent; Others Invited to Apply to Reshaping Prosecution Program

Vera Press Release April 06, 2021

Newly Elected DAs Vow To Continue Reforms, End Policies Deemed Unfair

NPR November 26, 2020

‘Prosecutors Are Not Exempt from Criticism’

Politico September 11, 2020

Jami Hodge & The Vera Institute are Reshaping Prosecution

Millennial Politics August 14, 2020

Meet The Wayne County Prosecutor Candidate Promising To Reform Regional Criminal Justice

Deadline Detroit July 09, 2020

Vera Institute of Justice to partner with Boulder County DA to analyze prosecution data

Longmont Times-Call February 13, 2020

Vera’s Reshaping Prosecution Program Expands Work to Three New Partner Offices

Vera Press Release February 04, 2020

Editorial: Reform-minded prosecutors give St. Louis-area voters what they asked for

St. Louis Post-Dispatch February 04, 2019

Gardner Pledges More Court Diversion, Less Cash Bail

St. Louis Public Radio January 30, 2019

Contra Costa DA joins Vera’s ‘prosecution reform’ program to tackle racial disparities, mass incarceration

The Mercury News January 14, 2019
Loading

Help us deliver lasting, systemic change.

Sign up for updates from your community and around the country.

Vera
34 35th Street
Suite 4-2A
Brooklyn, NY 11232
T: (212) 334-1300
  • About
  • Events
  • Careers
  • Blog
  • Newsroom
  • Contact
  • Partner
Follow Us
Subscribe Options

All Content © 2021. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use | GSA Advantage | Credits | Partner with Vera