"Expanding access to college in prison has the potential to change lives." -Vera President Nick Turner More than half a million incarcerated students will be eligible to apply for Pell Grants next month when new regulations go into effect. After the 1994 Crime Bill banned incarcerated students from receiving this critical financial aid for nearly 30 years, the opportunity to pursue life-changing postsecondary education will soon be less rare. https://ow.ly/79pF50OZSxL #CollegeInPrison #EndMassIncarceration #PellGrants #SecondChancePell #SecondChancesMatter
Vera Institute of Justice
Government Administration
Brooklyn, New York 68,110 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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Congress is currently (and seriously) considering making harsh, permanent changes to immigration law behind closed doors. These harmful changes would destabilize the lives of millions of immigrants and are deeply unpopular. To try and pass federal supplemental budget measures, lawmakers in Congress have been considering proposals would threaten families, communities, and our nation’s stated values of due process and justice for all and make immigrants bargaining chips in this budget process. Rather than making our outdated immigration system more dysfunctional and crueler, Congress and the White House must turn towards policies that build an immigration system that respects the humanity of all people. https://lnkd.in/e7vs7nKw
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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
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#NewYorkCity: On Tuesday, January 16, Mayor Adams released his preliminary budget for the 2025 Fiscal Year. The unreasonable budget maintains astronomical levels of funding for law enforcement and corrections while slashing resources for agencies that promote community-based safety and provide support for immigrants. Vera’s Jullian Harris-Calvin and Shayna Kessler issued #statements in response to the budget. “This preliminary budget shows the Adams administration’s harmful reliance on law enforcement and incarceration, which tear communities apart, rather than investing in community-based solutions that proactively deliver safety.” — Jullian Harris-Calvin, director of the Greater Justice New York (GJNY) program “Mayor Adams’s ongoing attempts to scapegoat newly arrived immigrants to justify harmful budget cuts to critical services for all New Yorkers does a disservice to the city as a whole. To promote a safe and vibrant New York for all, it is essential for the Adams administration and all levels of government to advance policy solutions and fund services that help New Yorkers in need.” — Shayna Kessler, associate director for advocacy for Vera's Advancing Universal Representation initiative Investing in preventative services and providing support for immigrants—not law enforcement and corrections—would enable all New Yorkers to flourish. Mayor Adams and New York City must meet the needs of both newcomers and long-time residents to promote community-based safety. https://lnkd.in/eUwRCXNB
Adams’ Budget Proposal Prioritizes Incarceration Over Safety,…
vera.org
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Connecting incarcerated people and their families while separated can help mitigate the harms of incarceration and reduce recidivism. Video visits can play a key role in maintaining these connections, but they shouldn't be the only way for incarcerated people to see their loved ones. Policies that replace in-person visits with video visitation and force families to pay to see their loved ones go against decades of evidence that show it is counterproductive to isolate incarcerated people from their families and communities. https://lnkd.in/etCpPNRZ
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Illinois is proving that bail reform works to keep our communities safer. Three months after the state became the first to end money bail, incarceration rates have gone down, crime rates have not spiked, and the implementation of the Pretrial Fairness Act continues to run smoothly: "The big thing here is the dramatic pronouncements made last year of chaos in our communities have turned out to be patently false. We're thrilled with the implementation of the law." The elimination of cash bail in Illinois should serve as a blueprint for others working to make fairness and safety the determining factor of who is released from jail pending trial. https://lnkd.in/eAfN5SUm
Elimination of cash bail seems to be working
illinoistimes.com
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“How will we pay for it?” is the first question communities often ask when they’re looking to build and expand alternative first response programs. #Reminder: our event with the CSG Justice Center is today at 1pm ET. We will be answering questions like these and discussing alternative first response programs. To register for the event, click below: https://lnkd.in/eKtGk9Px
Using Medicaid and Private Insurance to Pay for Alternative First Response
safetyreimagined.org
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“The guidance from the DOJ (Department of Justice) and HHS (Department of Health and Human Services) acknowledges that the status quo is unacceptable and that communities must improve their responses to people who experience behavioral health crises.” — Daniela Gilbert, Director of Vera’s Redefining Public Safety initiative. The Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Health and Human Services (HHS) issued guidance and public findings over the last year underlining the need to reduce police involvement in behavioral health situations. We know (and the data shows) that unarmed teams can safely and effectively resolve many crisis situations on their own. It’s time we prioritize unarmed crisis responses over police-led approaches to deliver health and safety for all. Read our joint statement with the The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law : https://lnkd.in/dCURDnJ9
Vera Institute
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This #MLKDay and beyond, we continue to push Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy forward through our work to ensure everyone impacted by the criminal legal system is treated with dignity. Our new report outlines a series of principles that corrections professionals, incarcerated people, and advocates can use to improve prison conditions and culture. Learn more about how to transform prisons into environments that center the dignity and humanity of incarcerated people: https://lnkd.in/ewGnEM-z
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Every person can play a part in ending mass incarceration. We accomplished so much together last year: We ended money bail in Illinois, worked with communities to reduce police traffic stops, expanded access to college in prison, and helped bring together 190 organizations to fight for the right to federally funded legal representation for thousands of immigrants facing deportation. This is progress, but much work remains. Here are 8 actions you can take this year to help build a society that provides true justice for all: https://lnkd.in/gffHatVU
Eight Ways You Can Advance Justice Reform in 2024
vera.org