Building a fairer Louisiana criminal justice system

Vera Louisiana believes in the power of communities—especially those that are historically marginalized—to create safety, healing, and opportunity for all. Every Louisianan deserves dignity, support, and the chance to thrive, no matter their ZIP code or background.

Our goal: Transform the criminal justice system statewide

Our mission is to partner with communities, government leaders, and advocates across Louisiana to safely shrink the criminal justice system; eliminate racial disparities; and expand access to health, safety, and opportunity—especially for those most impacted by incarceration.

Mass incarceration in the prison capital of the country

Louisiana has the highest incarceration rate of any state in the nation. Black people, particularly Black men, experience disproportionate harm. This is not just a criminal justice issue—it’s a public health crisis, a racial justice emergency, and a call to action.

Our approach: Community-driven, data-informed, and rooted in equity

Since 2006, Vera has worked alongside the people of Louisiana to build a system grounded in justice, not punishment. We take a bold, collaborative approach that centers community voices and drives lasting change. Across urban and rural areas, we focus on those most harmed by the criminal justice system: Black, Latinx, Indigenous, poor, and working-class people. We partner with residents, grassroots groups, public defenders, prosecutors, and policymakers to advance a new vision of safety, accountability, and justice.

Here’s how we’re doing it:

• Reducing jail populations safely and strategically. We work with local and state officials to cut unnecessary incarceration—especially pretrial detention. We advocate for smarter policies that reserve jail for those who truly pose a threat to public safety and invest in proven alternatives rooted in care and accountability.
• Ending the criminalization of mental illness. In a state where jails are often used as mental health facilities, we work to promote treatment, not incarceration, for people with behavioral health needs.
• Tackling racial disparities. Through data analysis and advocacy, we reveal how long-standing racial biases in laws, policing, and prosecution drive who is arrested, charged, and jailed in Louisiana—and seek to achieve racial justice.
• Reforming prosecution in Orleans Parish. In collaboration with the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office, we’re helping implement reforms that reduce reliance on money bail, expand diversion programs, and limit prosecution of low-level charges.
• Investing in community-led public safety solutions. In collaboration with the Big Easy Budget Coalition, we support local organizations analyzing city budgets, 911 data, and policing practices to advocate for resources that strengthen communities and help them thrive.

A better future is possible for Louisiana

A fairer, more equitable Louisiana criminal justice system is within reach. We’re proving that change is not only possible—it’s already happening.