Mastodawn

Vera Institute of Justice Sep 18, 2023

#BREAKING: #Illinois made history today by becoming the first state to eliminate cash bail. 👏👏👏

The state joins dozens of jurisdictions that have taken steps to make fairness and safety, not money, the determining factor of who is released from jail pending trial. https://www.vera.org/newsroom/vera-institute-of-justice-on-the-end-of-cash-bail-in-illinois

Vera Institute of Justice on the End of Cash Bail in Illinois

Illinois – Today, the Pretrial Fairness Act went into effect in Illinois, making it the first state to eliminate cash bail as a condition of pretrial release. Insha Rahman, vice president of advocacy and partnerships at the Vera Institute of Justice , issued the following statement: “With the…

Vera Institute of Justice

Vera Institute of Justice Aug 11, 2023

Yesterday, a federal judge took the first step to ensure that NYC's Rikers Island is appointed a receiver & address the ongoing human rights abuses that have occurred in its facilities.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/10/nyregion/rikers-island-jail-federal-takeover.html

Judge to Hear Arguments Over Federal Takeover of Rikers Island

Following years of incremental arguments and reports, Judge Laura Swain moved toward stripping control from New York City.

The New York Times

Vera Institute of Justice Aug 9, 2023

Find your next read, watch, or listen from our list of recommendations—from Ear Hustle, a podcast sharing the reality of life behind bars, to Javier Zamora's memoir narrating his experience migrating to the U.S. as a child: https://www.vera.org/news/justice-reform-101

Justice Reform 101: What to Read, Watch, and Listen To

What to read: All Our Trials: Prisons, Policing, and the Feminist Fight to End Violence by Emily L. Thuma This book describes women activists who fought gender violence and incarceration inside and outside of prisons. It traces the origins of anti-carceral feminism at the intersections of…

Vera Institute of Justice

Vera Institute of Justice Aug 2, 2023

As of October 2020, more than 25,000 young people were detained in juvenile facilities across the United States.

Instead of incarceration, kids need opportunities for growth and change—and the resources to support them. https://www.vera.org/news/care-over-confinement-kids-need-second-chances-and-services-to-succeed

Care over Confinement: Kids Need Second Chances and Services to…

On May 12, 2020, Molly made a heart-wrenching decision no parent wants to face—she approved a plea deal that took her 15-year-old son away from their family for two years of juvenile detention in Louisiana state custody. The alternative was having him tried as an adult, facing a sentence of 15 to…

Vera Institute of Justice

Vera Institute of Justice Jul 28, 2023

Want to learn more about the fight to end mass incarceration in the United States but don't know where to start?

Check out our list of recommended books, movies, and more: https://www.vera.org/news/justice-reform-101

Justice Reform 101: What to Read, Watch, and Listen To

What to read: All Our Trials: Prisons, Policing, and the Feminist Fight to End Violence by Emily L. Thuma This book describes women activists who fought gender violence and incarceration inside and outside of prisons. It traces the origins of anti-carceral feminism at the intersections of…

Vera Institute of Justice

Vera Institute of Justice Jul 21, 2023

Jailing people who need mental health treatment is unjust and destabilizing, subjecting them to the trauma of incarceration without adequate services.

Instead, we need investments in mental health services that can meet people's needs in their communities. https://www.vera.org/news/locking-up-people-with-mental-health-conditions-doesnt-make-anyone-safer

Locking up People with Mental Health Conditions Doesn’t Make Anyone…

Dashawn Carter, a 25-year-old from Staten Island, missed nearly 100 medical appointments while he was detained on Rikers Island—mostly because corrections officers failed to escort him to the clinic. He struggled to access the mental health medication he needed and was effectively left to fend for…

Vera Institute of Justice

Vera Institute of Justice Jul 20, 2023

Whether you're looking for your next read or a new podcast, our recommendations have you covered with picks on topics from the private prison industry to the criminalization of immigrants. https://www.vera.org/news/justice-reform-101

Justice Reform 101: What to Read, Watch, and Listen To

What to read: All Our Trials: Prisons, Policing, and the Feminist Fight to End Violence by Emily L. Thuma This book describes women activists who fought gender violence and incarceration inside and outside of prisons. It traces the origins of anti-carceral feminism at the intersections of…

Vera Institute of Justice

Vera Institute of Justice Jul 18, 2023

William Johnstone died on Rikers Island on July 15. He is the 25th person to die in NYC’s jails since Mayor Eric Adams took office.

The mounting deaths in NYC jails point to a continued failure to grapple with the hellish conditions that have killed jailed New Yorkers at alarming rates since 2021.

📢It is time for the crisis on Rikers Island to end. The city MUST #CloseRikers now. https://www.vera.org/news/24-people-have-died-in-new-york-city-jails-since-the-start-of-last-year

25 People Have Died in New York City Jails Since the Start of Last…

William Johnstone, 47, died on Rikers Island on July 15. He was found unresponsive in his cell that afternoon and was pronounced dead two hours later. He is the sixth person to die during their incarceration in, or immediately following their release from, New York City's dangerous jails this year…

Vera Institute of Justice

Vera Institute of Justice Jul 14, 2023

"Reinstating Pell Grants behind bars upholds human dignity while building safer, stronger communities." -Vera President Nick Turner

With this barrier removed, public leaders must work urgently to expand access to college in prison. https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/13/opinion/unlocking-potential-incarcerated-people-through-pell-grant-reinstatement/

Unlocking potential for incarcerated people through Pell Grant reinstatement

Access to education from prison upholds human dignity while building safer, stronger communities.

The Boston Globe

Vera Institute of Justice Jul 13, 2023

Looking for your next read, watch, or listen?

Check out our recommendations to learn more about the criminal legal and immigration systems, ranging from Khalil Gibran Muhammad’s The Condemnation of Blackness to Ear Hustle:

https://www.vera.org/news/justice-reform-101

Justice Reform 101: What to Read, Watch, and Listen To

What to read: All Our Trials: Prisons, Policing, and the Feminist Fight to End Violence by Emily L. Thuma This book describes women activists who fought gender violence and incarceration inside and outside of prisons. It traces the origins of anti-carceral feminism at the intersections of…

Vera Institute of Justice