Vera has been working to transform the criminal legal and immigration systems for more than 60 years—and we won't stop until they’re fair for all. Because mass incarceration is wrong. Because immigration is under attack. Because poverty is not a crime. Because justice is for all. Because dignity is worth fighting for. Because we are Vera. Together, we can end mass incarceration. Join our movement: https://lnkd.in/eMtNC9pe #WeAreVera
Vera Institute of Justice
Government Administration
Brooklyn, New York 75,552 followers
Securing equal justice, ending mass incarceration, and strengthening families and communities. Founded 1961.
About us
We envision a society that respects the dignity of every single person. And we're working to realize it. We work with others who share our vision to tackle the most pressing injustices of our day - from the causes and consequences of mass incarceration, racial disparities, and the loss of public trust in law enforcement, to the unmet needs of the vulnerable, the marginalized, and those harmed by crime and violence.
- Website
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http://www.vera.org
External link for Vera Institute of Justice
- Industry
- Government Administration
- Company size
- 201-500 employees
- Headquarters
- Brooklyn, New York
- Type
- Nonprofit
- Founded
- 1961
- Specialties
- Research, Technical Assistance, Demonstration Projects, and Criminal Justice
Locations
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Primary
34 35th St
Suite 4-2A
Brooklyn, New York 11232, US
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1111 14th Street NE, Suite 920
Washington, DC 20005, US
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546 Carondelet, 3rd Floor
New Orleans, LA 70130, US
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634 S Spring Street,
#300A
Los Angeles, CA 90014, US
Employees at Vera Institute of Justice
Updates
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“The difference in outcomes with legal representation is staggering, and demonstrates that being in a removal proceeding is not a final outcome in itself. PAIFUP shows that we can advance family unity, due process, and economic prosperity by supporting people at risk of deportation with access to legal representation. The Vera Institute of Justice is proud to have played a role in supporting the early days of PAIFUP.” —Vera’s Fabiola Dávila On September 26, as the nation celebrated Welcoming Week, we joined Philadelphia’s Office of Immigrant Affairs and the Pennsylvania Immigration Coalition to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Pennsylvania Immigrant Family Unity Project (PAIFUP). Since its launch in 2019, PAIFUP has been meeting the needs of Philadelphians facing the devastating consequences of detention and deportation. Legal representation is essential in promoting fairness in our immigration system, and PAIFUP, Philadelphia’s first universal representation pilot program, is a crucial tool that keeps families safe and together. https://lnkd.in/evmbvQuU
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“In 2023, 65 percent of the nearly 4 million individuals in immigration court facing deportation lacked legal counsel. And among those held in immigration detention, the situation is even more dire where 70 percent of those individuals, over the past five years, had to face the courts without representation.”—Santiago Mueckay, associate director of Vera’s Advancing Universal Representation initiative #ListenNow: Santiago recently joined Dr. Elizabeth Aranda and Dr. Lorena Ávila on “Im/migrant Lives.” This important conversation unpacked detention and deportation, the importance of legal representation, and potential policy solutions that would ensure justice and equity within our immigration system. 🎧 Listen now: https://lnkd.in/eEnkbFtW
Im/migrant Lives - “Immigrants and the Right to Legal Representation” | RSS.com
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The impact of mass incarceration extends far beyond prison walls. In the third episode of #The30YearProject, we examine how system involvement can affect a person's family, neighborhood, and broader community. 🎧 Listen now, wherever you get your podcasts. https://lnkd.in/egQFU_tu
The 30 Year Project
vera.org
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“Putting people in jail, adding more bars to jails is not going to help eliminate the problem.” #LosAngeles resident Robyn Williams shares how an opportunity to participate in a diversion program allowed her to take a new path in life, away from a cycle of substance abuse and incarceration. Click the link below to hear her story. Right now, programs like the one Williams participated in are on the line. #Prop36 will strip $100 million annually in funding for drug treatment, housing, and school-based programs—the very things proven to prevent crime in the first place. That is why California must say #NoOnProp36: https://lnkd.in/eV4DYpYq
Former Offender Provides Unique View On Prop 36 | KQED
kqed.org
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People experiencing behavioral health crises are in urgent need of compassion, care, and support. #SanDiego County's Mobile Crisis Response Teams have been answering the call by easing distress and keeping thousands of people safe. Since the program launched in 2021, it has answered more than 13,000 mental-health calls, diverted more than 98% of calls from armed law enforcement, and reduced the burden on local emergency rooms. https://lnkd.in/eXsAibax
Mobile crisis response teams helping thousands of San Diegans
cbs8.com
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In November, former President Trump is scheduled to be sentenced on 34 felony counts. This presents a rare opportunity for our country to consider what sentencing is supposed to accomplish. While many people convicted of a crime in New York State have no choice but to be sentenced to prison due to mandatory minimums and Trump himself could be sent to prison for up to four years, he does not have to be. Why? Because his conviction does not mandate a minimum prison sentence. Instead, he has options including community-based sentences like probation, public service, restitution, or even a directive to stop engaging in “injurious” habits. More people accused of a crime—not just former President Trump—should be treated with fairness and equity while going through the justice system and given the best chance to make amends. Here’s why: https://lnkd.in/eiVw5xXN
The Double Standard of Donald Trump’s Court Sentencing
vera.org
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Violent crime is significantly down in New Orleans, yet the city’s jail remains dangerously overcrowded and consistently exceeds the City Council's mandated population cap. Law enforcement has credited the drop in violent crime to a new police troop, but the reduction came well before the patrols were launched in the city. Bottom line: there is no correlation between incarceration and the decreased crime rate in #NOLA. Instead of spending taxpayer dollars on incarceration, the city must reduce the jail population and address the root causes of incarceration, like poverty, lack of education, and inadequate community resources.
In New Orleans, violent crime is way down, but the city's jail is packed
nola.com
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🚨 PSA California: A proposition on your upcoming ballot threatens to roll back years of progress in criminal justice reform. Read our in-depth explainer to understand the potential consequences of passing #Prop36.
Prop 36: California’s 2024 Ballot Proposition to Recall Prop 47…
vera.org
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“Regardless of whether you’re coming back or not, you should be treated like a human being.” —Chloe Aquart, director of Vera’s Restoring Promise initiative The vast majority of the nearly 2 million people incarcerated in the U.S. endure brutal conditions—but proven solutions centered on human dignity exist. The Marshall Project reports on how Vera's Restoring Promise initiative is reimagining prison culture: https://lnkd.in/gVT4xwFB
Can the U.S. Make Prisons More Rehabilitative? Here’s a Major Test Case
themarshallproject.org