We’re fighting to secure equal justice for all, end mass incarceration, and strengthen families + communities.
NYC/DC/LA/NOLA
Joined February 2010
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Communities want an affirmative vision for safer communities, one that prioritizes concrete solutions over political fearmongering.
Interested in learning more about the politics of crime and safety? Check out Vera Action’s Substack: veraaction.substack.com/p/a-…
“There are more ladies who are still in prison as a result of domestic violence. We need a law to help them.”— Beatrice “Beasy” Taylor, an advocate for survivor justice legislation in Louisiana
vera.org/news/the-push-to-ch…
The death penalty system is indefensible, inequitable, and costly. Today, #California took a major and historic step toward ending it and ensuring justice.
nytimes.com/2026/11/05/us/ca…
People incarcerated on Rikers Island were recently given early access to clips from the @PBS docuseries "Crime and Punishment in America" from documentarians Ken Burns and Lynn Novick.
Many viewers saw themselves reflected in the historical series. nytimes.com/2026/10/23/movie…
How can we build a more comprehensive, coordinated approach to community safety?
Vera and @JohnJayFPS are bringing together leaders and changemakers from across the U.S. to explore this question at #AllInForSafety. Be part of the conversation on 11/17: verajohnjay.regfox.com/all-i…
Vera Institute of Justice retweeted
What is the state of criminal legal reform?
The @verainstitute new report explores the progress of state-level reforms and identifies 13 laws that support fines and fees reform, continuing the work to dismantle the system of criminal legal debt.
Being “serious about safety” means investing in what works:
✔️ Strong, accountable policing
✔️ Alternative first-response teams
✔️ Reducing overdose deaths
✔️ Gun violence prevention
✔️ Investing in our communities
vera.org/explainers/what-do-…
@MotherJones recently published a profile of the Vera Institute of Justice’s work (and of @veraactionorg, the independent c4) to champion this approach—one that centers safety and justice—and challenges “tough-on-crime" politics and strict punishment.
motherjones.com/politics/202…
Public safety can't be measured by crime statistics alone. It's something that people feel, both in their communities and the country as a whole.
Vera’s Ellen Flenniken explains why being serious about public safety requires moving beyond failed “tough-on-crime” policies.
vera.org/news/people-want-sa…
If government leaders can't lean in and take ownership of falling crime rates—especially in blue cities where crime has dropped the most thanks to comprehensive prevention strategies—they're leaving money on the table.
motherjones.com/politics/202…
Safe cities require more than just law enforcement. If New Orleans is serious about improving community safety, city leaders must fully fund housing, health care, youth programs, and support systems for people in crisis. thelensnola.org/2026/10/30/h…
This year, Vera and the Big Easy Budget Coalition released "Seven Ways New Orleans Can Build Thriving Communities," which details how investing in community safety alternatives, meeting basic needs, and creating a more inclusive budget can improve safety. vera.org/publications/seven-…
“We just feel like the incredible work we are doing is just unfortunately not enough.”—Olga Guerrero Gonzalez, accredited representative at the National Immigrant Justice Center
47 percent of immigrants are facing deportation without legal representation. Plummeting approvals for accredited legal representatives and DOJ staffing cuts have crippled the immigration oversight process further impacting vital pathways to due process.
borderlessmag.org/2026/10/22…
For people leaving prison, finding a job is one of the strongest predictors of a successful return to community life.
New research suggests AI hiring tools may be reinforcing existing barriers between formerly incarcerated people and steady work. vera.org/news/ai-hiring-tool…
“Gladwell’s call for more police reflects either the lazy, conventional political wisdom of years gone by or ignorance of the growing evidence about what makes communities safer,” writes Vera's Insha Rahman in the @latimes. ⬇️
latimes.com/opinion/letters-…
Together with the End the ICE Age campaign, Detention Watch Network, and Disappeared in America we honor the lives lost at the hands of ICE.
Join in solidarity and find an action near you: mobilize.us/disappearediname…
Nearly four decades after the infamous attack ad aired, the name "Willie Horton" is again being invoked to stoke fear around violent crime. themarshallproject.org/2026/…
But reform isn’t going anywhere: just this year, Vera identified 425 criminal justice reform and immigration laws enacted across 45 states and Washington, D.C.
The reason for this trend is twofold: these reform policies are effective AND supported by the public.
Instead of going "tough on crime," lawmakers should point to evidence-based solutions working to reduce crime and make communities safe, like housing, mental health & addiction treatment, and youth programs.
More in our recent profile in @MotherJones: motherjones.com/politics/202…