RESEARCH & JOURNALISM.
Vera Institute of Justice
Research and demonstration projects, run with governments, to shrink jails and prisons. Started with the 1961 Manhattan Bail Project.
What they do
The Vera Institute of Justice partners with government agencies and community groups to reduce incarceration and change how criminal legal and immigration systems operate. It runs named initiatives on specific problems: jail reduction, ending girls' incarceration, legal representation for immigrants, housing for people with records, prosecution practices and college access in prison. It began with the 1961 Manhattan Bail Project, which tested releasing defendants pretrial on community ties rather than money bail. Its work fed New York's 2019 bail reform and the return of Pell grants to people in prison.
Programs and services
- Beyond Jails
- Ending Girls' Incarceration
- Advancing Universal Representation
- Opening Doors to Housing
- Reshaping Prosecution
- Restoring Promise
- Unlocking Potential
- Redefining Public Safety
- Place-Based Initiatives
More than 40,000 people gained access to college through the Second Chance Pell programs Vera advocated for. Source