Vera proposes that human dignity be the foundational, organizing principle of the nation’s corrections system. A prison system grounded in human dignity directly responds to the faults created by centuries of racial oppression. Our webumentary takes you through a digital journey from slavery to mass incarceration to dignity and hope.

The design and nature of mass incarceration in America and the culture that sustains it are among the most profound, most unyielding, and least addressed problems for justice today. Vera is working with prisons and jails to transform the culture, climate, rhythms and routines that define the prison system—starting with young adults.

Education is key to improving many long-term outcomes for incarcerated people, their families, and their communities—including reducing recidivism and increasing employability and earnings after release. To improve the lives of incarcerated people and decrease the collateral consequences of incarceration, Vera is working in several states to provide postsecondary education opportunities for incarcerated people.

The use of restrictive housing—where people are held in a cell for 22-24 hours per day with little or no programming or human interaction—is harmful to incarcerated people and correctional staff, and is counterproductive to the safety and security of prisons and jails, as well as the communities to which most incarcerated people will return. By reducing and reforming the use of restrictive housing, Vera aims to improve human dignity behind bars and promote effective rehabilitation efforts for incarcerated people.

A Different Choice traces the legacy of slavery and racial oppression up to the mass incarceration era, calling for a new ethos that values freedom, human dignity, and man’s capacity to change.

Unlike anything we have ever produced at Vera, this report is about the possibility of radical change. It is rooted in our obligation to acknowledge and atone for our brutal history of dehumanization and racial oppression and to understand how it has shaped our justice system today. Where we have denied humanity, we must embrace human dignity.