Vera Institute of Justice

Please read the terms and conditions before submitting any materials. By submitting materials, you agree to be bound by these terms and conditions.

Thank you for participating in Vera Institute of Justice’s “In Our Backyards” Story Project (the “Project”), which will help explain what is driving incarceration in small communities, which has gone largely unseen. By learning about who is in jail county by county, and why, we can uncover pathways towards reform – not just in urban centers but in all of our backyards. You agree that your submission is subject to the following terms and conditions:

At the time of your submission you must be 18 years of age or older.

Upon review of your submission, Vera may contact you to discuss its possible use. Among these possibilities, though not inclusive, are publication, a longer profile, or social media.  Vera is under no obligation to keep, post, or use any submission, and may or may not contact you.  Vera may collect your name, email address, and/or phone number, if voluntarily provided by you, in order to facilitate possible contact. Contact information will be subject to Vera’s Privacy Policy, as stated in its Website Terms of Use: https://www.vera.org/terms-of-use.  If your submission is selected for use, you will be asked to agree to terms and conditions governing that use.  You may choose not to agree to such terms, and Vera may choose not to publish your submission.

Your submission must be your own original work. You retain ownership in your submission, but by making a submission, you give Vera the right to use it internally and reproduce it as required to evaluate for further publication.  If and when Vera selects your submission for possible publication or other use, we will contact you with regards to permission and any additional scope of Vera's usage rights.

Please note that if Vera selects your submission for use, Vera will make the submission, in whole or part, available to the general public.  The public may use and share your submission in various ways, including via the internet and social media.  Though Vera will anonymize your story, if you so request, it is possible that others who see your submission will be able to recognize you, and use information you disclose against you in a hiring decision, school admissions decision, or elsewhere. Please consider carefully before you decide to submit.

You are responsible for your submission and any consequences of submitting it. You waive any and all claims against Vera arising from your submission.

Vera does not provide legal advice, and your review of Vera’s website or publications, submission to the Project, or discussion with Vera regarding potential publication (if any) do not create an attorney-client relationship. If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney directly.

These terms and conditions, along with Vera’s website Terms of Use, state our entire understanding with reference to the subject matter hereof, unless and until superseded by the terms of a later agreement between us regarding use of your submission, and will be governed by the laws of the State of New York.   If you have questions about any aspect of these terms and conditions, please contact Vera at mmehler@vera.org.