Through research, mentorship, and hands-on learning, Vera’s Justice Scholars are exploring the criminal justice system—and discovering their own power to change it.

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 t ...

As the school year begins, one mother shares practical advice for maintaining strong relationships with children when families are separated by incarceration.

For parents, incarceration ultimately means separation, and we find ourselves wishing we could make up for the countless missed moments with our children. The percentage of school-aged children in the United States who have experienced parental incarceration is 6 percent—about 4.2 million children. These children aren’t asking for a perfect parent; ...

Two incarcerated interns reflect on finding purpose, professionalism, and possibility through Vera.

Interning while incarcerated is an experience few people have the opportunity to talk about. This summer, we joined the Vera Institute of Justice (Vera) as incarcerated interns, contributing to individual projects while navigating the realities of prison life. Although we shared the same goal of gaining experience in the social justice work environ ...