Publication

 February 2026

A New Federal Paradigm for Safety, Accountability, and Justice

VER26 Fed Safety Justice Platform Thumbnail 786x786

Overview

As Congress weighs the path forward on public safety, lawmakers have a clear opportunity to define a proactive agenda to deliver safety, accountability, and justice. Vera Action’s 40+ rounds of polling and research consistently show that a majority of Americans—including independents—prefer leaders who are “serious about safety,” not “tough-on-crime.” Being “serious about safety” means delivering strong, accountable policing to solve serious crimes; investing in schools, jobs, housing, and treatment; and targeting illegal guns to prevent crime and break its cycle. Accountability when someone breaks the law should mean remorse, repair, and, most importantly, change—not just strict punishment. 

This platform outlines legislation to advance popular, proven solutions to counter crime fearmongering, rebuild trust with voters, and, critically, deliver safety people can feel in their daily lives. It is organized around six core planks: 1) strong, accountable policing; 2) ending the overdose crisis; 3) supporting strong mental health and de-escalating crisis; 4) tackling gun violence; 5) safe streets and good quality of life; and 6) a fairer, more accountable justice system.

Key Takeaway

Passing another punitive crime bill won’t make us safer; it will only unravel decades of progress and deepen the very crises it claims to solve. This moment demands leadership that rejects failed policies and instead advances popular, evidence-based solutions that advance safety, justice, and accountability. 

Publication Highlights

  • Americans know that they do not need to choose between safety, accountability, and justice. We can achieve all three, and we know how to do it.

  • Doubling down on blunt “tough-on-crime” strategies—by simply increasing budgets, adding police officers, or loosening oversight—does not reliably deliver public safety or build the trust law enforcement depends on.

  • Polls show that voters don’t trust either party on crime, so there is a real opportunity to win trust with policies backed by both polling and evidence.

Key Facts

Voters favor a “serious about safety” approach of preventing crime and breaking its cycle by roughly a 60-40 margin over “tough-on-crime” approaches.
Despite the pandemic-era spike, crime rates in the United States have declined significantly below 2019 levels.
The Trump administration has cut funding for programs like violence prevention, drug treatment, and affordable housing even as the country makes progress on safety, the overdose crisis, and homelessness.