Vera Institute of Justice

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

Last month, over 225 Los Angeles community members, service providers, and government partners came together to renew our commitment to the “care first, jails last” vision.    Representatives from more than 90 organizations and 20 different county offices actively participated in constructive dialogues, discussing both progress made and challenges encountered in the implementation of the Alternatives to Incarceration Work Group's foundational recommendations. It was a privilege to welcome Supervisor Lindsey Horvath and representatives from the offices of Supervisor Mitchell and Supervisor Hahn, who articulated their commitment to care and ATI implementation.    Together, as a united community, we're steadfastly working towards ending Los Angeles County’s reliance on incarceration and building a future where care comes first. 

“Oklahoma has been a leader in innovative solutions that can help individuals who have served their time get back on their feet, re-enter the workforce, find stable housing and strengthen their communities ― and reaped the benefits.” In the last 5 years, Oklahoma’s recidivism rate has fallen to the lowest of any state in the country, thanks to reforms such as the reclassification of low-level drug offenses to misdemeanors and an investment in county-based treatment and diversion programs. These initiatives have proven crucial to the success of those who are seeking to re-enter the workforce upon their release. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gAKNERaH

Today is #MothersDay. As we celebrate with the caregivers and loved ones in our lives, take a moment to read Jemi Brown’s story. Unlike many other parents in her position, Brown received assistance through a supportive programming system designed to help mothers be restored to their families and communities. This is how we break the cycle of trauma and incarceration. https://lnkd.in/gkMYDUTH

🗣️ Caregivers need support, not punishment. Millions of families remain affected by the devastating toll of mass incarceration: nearly 80% of women incarcerated in jails are mothers and nearly five million children in the #UnitedStates experience the incarceration of a parent. Punishing parents with incarceration also sentences their children and loved ones. The impact of incarceration is devastating and creates harm that lasts long after parents are released. This cycle of trauma must end. Community-based alternatives can change that. Here’s how: https://lnkd.in/gkMYDUTH

“Instead of restricting access to asylum and undermining due process for those seeking safety, we call on the Biden administration to invest in solutions such as expanding pathways to citizenship, improving processing at the border, and promoting due process in immigration proceedings through access to legal representation.” — Annie Chen, director of Vera’s Advancing Universal Representation initiative The Biden administration recently proposed a change to existing asylum rules that would severely impede access to due process. The proposed rule would enable immigration officials at the border—not immigration judges—to make complex legal determinations about asylum eligibility which would also fast-track deportations without any due process. The right to claim asylum is a foundational promise of this country. Instead of depriving asylum seekers of exercising their rights and subjecting them to the likelihood of racial profiling and wrongful deportations, the Biden administration must invest in solutions that promote an asylum and immigration system that works for families, workers, and people in need of refuge, not against them. https://lnkd.in/gnVrJxN4

"We risk losing another generation to the consequences of incarceration that we’ve finally begun to tackle.”    A proposed ballot initiative in California would undo Proposition 47, a crucial law that has reduced the state’s prison population and helped expand supportive services for a decade. The proposed initiative would enact harsher penalties for low-level offenses, but research continues to make clear that increasing possible jail time does not deter crime.     Californians deserve real solutions to address retail theft, not misinformation and ineffective policies.  Read more via Los Angeles Times: https://lnkd.in/gMzNkEPP

#Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry is working to roll back reforms that reduced the state’s prison population under his predecessor. During a rushed special legislative session earlier this year, state lawmakers passed dozens of bills that will lead to a surge in the state’s incarcerated population without effectively addressing public safety. Legislators need to be serious about ensuring safety with real, proven solutions—or they will fail. Fueling mass incarceration to solve the state’s problems will lead to the kind of injustice and crime that has hurt Louisianans for far too long. https://lnkd.in/ecN46V9j

The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline connects people experiencing behavioral health crises with specially trained operators and needed support. People now have someone to call when they’re in crisis, but they also need someone to respond and a place to go. Communities need investments in services like civilian crisis response programs, which send trained responders to help people experiencing behavioral health crises. This #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth and beyond, governments need to invest in services that ensure people get needed care—not criminalization and incarceration. https://lnkd.in/egUhgv3r

Unified, modern, and compassionate approaches to immigration—not more incarceration and violence—is what the United States needs in this moment. However, a handful of states are attempting to enact laws that have the potential to weaponize state and local law enforcement against immigrant communities. Enforcement of one such law out of Texas, Senate Bill 4, was blocked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit last month. But the fight is not over. Though the voices demonizing immigrants may be loud, the call for a U.S. immigration system that aligns with 21st -century realities must be louder. https://lnkd.in/gErqKqKt