In the wake of increased national attention on policing in America, and national calls for police reform, law enforcement executives around the country are looking to examine their practices and improve relationships between police and the communities they serve. To leverage this momentum—and build on more than five decades of policing work—Vera launched last week the Police Enhancing Accountability through Community Engagement (PEACE) initiative. Through a competitive RFP process, we will provide technical assistance to select law enforcement agencies interested in reforming their policies and building increased dialogue and collaboration across the diverse communities they serve.

The PEACE model was piloted in Asheville, NC, this year where, following an officer-involved shooting, the Asheville Police Department (APD) asked for assistance in reforming its de-escalation and use-of-force policies. Vera facilitated dialogue between the APD and the Asheville community, including groups such as Black Lives Matter and Racial Justice Coalition. Learn more about Asheville’s experience in a video of APD officers and Asheville community leaders, read more about our expanded policing work, and access the full RFP to apply.

Opening Doors to Public Housing 

Recognizing that housing and family support are critical for a person to successfully transition from incarceration back home to the community, a growing number of public housing authorities (PHAs) are seeking to ease restrictions on formerly incarcerated people living on PHA property. Building on our  partnership with the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), Vera announced last month that it is partnering with an additional six PHAs across the country to increase access to stable housing for people returning home from incarceration. Selected jurisdictions are the State of Colorado; Kearney, Nebraska; Tacoma, Washington; Springfield, Massachusetts; Providence, Rhode Island; and Asheville, North Carolina. Vera additionally published a guide for PHAs on developing and implementing successful reentry programs. Opening Doors: How to develop reentry programs using examples from public housing authorities highlights 11 PHAs currently doing this work, and offers best practices and lessons learned from their experiences. Learn more in commentary from co-author John Bae. 

Youth Justice Action Month

It’s Youth Justice Action Month! And we’re focused on our work to cut the number of kids that get caught in the justice system. Among other things, we’re addressing—and working to end—the persistent ways in which race and gender shape how youth are treated in the system, and we’re elevating the voices of impacted youth, families, and communities so that they have greater input in reform efforts. Read more in commentary from the directors of our Center on Youth Justice, Krista Larson and Ryan Shanahan. Also, learn more from Lindsay Rosenthal in a commentary in Bustle about our work to end girls’ incarceration in New York City, and see Vera’s Sarah Zarba discuss her experience with incarceration as a young adult with Senator Cory Booker on The Marshall Project.  

Rethinking Solitary Confinement

A growing number of state and local corrections leaders are recognizing the need to rethink the use of solitary confinement in prison and jail. A recent CBS 60 Minutes report, hosted by Oprah Winfrey, takes a look at the effort to reduce the use of solitary in California’s Pelican Bay Prison, and features an interview with former Vera Soros Justice Fellow Danny Murillo. The prison made dramatic reductions in the number of people held in solitary following a court settlement, and the state prison system now places greater emphasis on rehabilitative programming. Read commentary from Senior Program Associate Matt Lowen, highlighting the 60 Minutes report and Vera’s work with 16 state and local corrections agencies since 2010 to reduce the use of solitary across the country.

In the News
 

How incarcerated women face unique challenges within the system...Why America is waking up to the injustices of our cash bail system...Prosecutors are falling short on reform promises...New Orleans grassroots effort is helping people clear their criminal justice debt...Crime victims offer surprising support for restorative justice...Vera's Common Justice project spins off into independent nonprofit...

From the Blog 
 

—Using Diversion to Leverage Justice System Reform 
By Corinna Yazbek 

—Making Space for Girls
By Lindsay Rosenthal 

—To End Opioid Crisis, We Must Rely on More than "Just Say No" 
By Hayne Yoon