New year, same fight for justice. Start the year off with purpose by exploring Vera’s Intro to Criminal Justice Reform series: https://www.vera.org/news/intro-to-criminal-justice-reform

⏰ LAST CALL: Our 5X match ends tonight. Donate now to fuel our fight for justice in the year ahead: https://secure.vera.org/a/fy26-eoy5xb?ms=don_comm_all_bluesky_Vera25_ctr_EOYSocial&utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=all&utm_campaign=all_EOYSocial

Giving people access to Pell Grants—need-based financial aid for college coursework— while they are behind bars could make a huge difference to the communities they return to. Access to college in prison can help fill employment gaps and end the cycle of incarceration for many.

Justice is on the line. Act fast: Your gift goes 5X as far today to protect people and communities. Give now before time runs out: https://secure.vera.org/a/fy26-eoy5xb?ms=don_comm_all_bluesky_Vera25_ctr_EOYSocial&utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=all&utm_campaign=all_EOYSocial

Donate now and your gift will go 2X as far to help: ✅ Transform prison environments to ensure people can live with dignity ✅ Defend due process ✅ Remove barriers to housing for formerly incarcerated people Support this vital work: https://secure.vera.org/a/fy26-eoy2x

Together, we made real progress this year in the fight for a safer, more just future, but there is so much work ahead. Can we count on you to make a 2X matched gift to fuel our work in 2026? http://bit.ly/4pUP2LR

The harsh conditions within jails and prisons do not create safe outcomes for our communities. Diversion programs instead center people’s needs with the goals of reducing incarceration rates, protecting public safety, and promoting healthy communities.

More people are in immigration detention than ever before. ICE has moved thousands of people—families, immigrants with legal status, and even children—through its multi-billion-dollar detention network. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

In July, the Trump administration moved to block judges from granting bond to detained immigrants. Since then, judges have called the policy unconstitutional, and immigration attorneys have secured bond hearings or releases for their clients. www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/...

As people across the country gather with loved ones this holiday season, the nearly 2 million people behind bars spend this time of year isolated from family, left to piece together traditions within the confines of prison.

Day 12 of Vera’s 12 Days of Action: Stay in the know. Separating families, cutting critical programs, and deploying cruel immigration enforcement tactics—these are just a few of the Trump administration’s attacks on our most vulnerable communities and on the nation’s core democratic values.

Day 11 of Vera’s 12 Days of Action: Donate to support Vera’s crucial work. We need you in the fight to end mass incarceration and transform the criminal justice and immigration systems. Donate now to protect families, strengthen communities, and hold systems accountable: secure.vera.org/a/donate

In September, ICE raids in Chicago resulted in thousands of arrests. A new analysis from @TheMarshallProject reveals that people were sent to jails and detention centers across 13 states—underscoring tightly the carceral and immigration systems are linked.

“The federal government exists…to invest in programs, services and solutions that actually work to make our lives better, and not to do the exact opposite of what the evidence tells us.” —Vera’s Insha Rahman on the federal cuts to lifesaving antiviolence grants

Day 10 of Vera’s 12 Days of Action: Join efforts in your communities! Local grassroots organizations are fighting jail expansions, pushing decarceration efforts, and helping people who are harmed by the criminal justice and immigration systems.

Day 9 of Vera’s 12 Days of Action: Explore resources on the criminal legal and immigration systems. Looking for new reads, watches, and listens for the commute to work or long journey home? We’ve got you covered.

#BREAKING: New York Governor Kathy Hochul has signed the Prison Reform Omnibus Bill. The Vera Institute of Justice applauds this crucial step toward protecting people in state custody and ensuring their families and communities receive answers when harm occurs.

Parole systems are far from perfect. In some states, eight in ten applicants can expect to be denied parole and may wait up to 15 years before their next hearing. But parole systems can improve, here’s how:

Day 8 of Vera’s 12 Days of Action: Become a pen pal with @blackandpinkorg.bsky.social Become a pen pal this holiday season: blackandpinkpenpals.org?gad_source=1...

Per the U.S. Constitution and longstanding court rulings, law enforcement must have judicial warrants when entering private areas. ICE did precisely the opposite five times this year, entering #NYC’s shelters armed and without presenting a warrant. gothamist.com/news/ice-ent...

We accompanied the Denver Broncos to the Arkansas Valley Correctional Facility in #Colorado to see the transformational work happening at ChangeMaker Village, a young-adult housing unit committed to practices guided by human dignity.

During a time meant for celebration, the nearly 2 million people incarcerated in the U.S. endure loneliness and separation from loved ones. Incarcerated writer Demetrius Buckley reflects on 16 holiday seasons behind bars and how moments of joy are still cultivated, even in the darkest of places.

The Trump administration claims that ICE’s community-shattering raids are needed to arrest those who have committed crimes. But the facts show that fewer than 30% of immigrants arrested during these aggressive operations had any criminal conviction. @nytimes.com

Four more people died earlier this month in the custody of LA County jails, bringing this year’s death toll to 45. 2025 is on track to become the second deadliest year on record for LA jails. How many more people have to lose their lives before the LA Board of Supervisors takes concrete action?

In addition to using private and federal detention facilities, ICE pays local governments to use jails to hold people who are facing civil immigration charges. This practice is so widespread that local jails comprise the most common type of ICE detention facility. #ImmigrantRights

“We urge our colleagues to join us in affirming a simple principle: no one should have to face life-altering proceedings in immigration court alone.” Thank you @normajtorres.bsky.social, @catalinacruzny.bsky.social, and @asmmiabonta.bsky.social for your commitment to fairness and due process.

Day 7 of Vera’s 12 Days of Action: Thank a legal service provider. ❤️ Send a message of gratitude to the legal service providers fighting for justice: secure.vera.org/a/immigrants...

Legal representation is the difference between remaining at home & being disappeared. As the Trump administration continues to devastate immigrant communities, elected officials must make due process & family unity a priority: www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202... @npnewamericans.bsky.social

Day 6 of Vera’s 12 Days of Action: Make the fight for justice look good. Looking to show your commitment to fighting for human dignity and ending mass incarceration all holiday season? Wear your values and make a statement: Explore the newest collection from the Vera Shop ⬇️ shop.vera.org

North Carolina’s prison system recently increased the markup on canteen items like food and drinks to 25%. Prices keep going up, while wages stay the same—putting essentials out of reach for too many.

“This was never about doing things the right way. Every single person being arrested at court is trying to do things the right way. This is about a hatred of people deemed to be ‘other.’” —Maria Chavez, legal director for @panasd.org

Fourteen people have died in New York City Jails this year—nearly tripling last year's total. NYC must deliver on its commitment to close Rikers Island and end the persistent human rights abuses in its jails before more lives are lost. https://www.vera.org/news/nyc-jail-deaths

Day 5 of Vera’s 12 Days of Action: Tell Congress to pass the Fairness to Freedom Act. Now more than ever—during the season where loved ones are together—it’s crucial that Congress looks to humane solutions that support family unity. #TakeAction: secure.vera.org/a/fair2free

15% off your Vera Store purchase ends today! Justice can’t wait. Neither should your cart. #ShopNow and support Vera’s mission before the offer ends. ⬇️ shop.vera.org

Due process is a fundamental American right, and no one should have to defend their freedom alone. Full stop.

‼️ Every day that Rikers remains open, lives are at risk. The deadly jail complex must close. Take action: Sign the petition and help spread the word about the abuses on Rikers Island and the urgent need to shut it down. secure.vera.org/a/take-actio...

Do you want to take action and advance justice reform but don’t know where to start? Look no further: Vera’s “Intro to Criminal Justice Reform” series is here to help you understand the basics of justice reform. www.vera.org/news/intro-t...

#LosAngeles leaders must act now to close Men's Central Jail, reduce the jail population, and invest in community-based services before more lives are lost. This year’s death toll is 41.

Vera’s work to make communities safer has never been more important. As mass deportation threats grow and the dignity of incarcerated people is attacked, we need collective action—now. You can make a difference.

Everyone deserves a place to call home—this holiday season and beyond. Michigan's legislature just reintroduced the Fair Chance Access to Housing Act, which would help make this a reality by removing barriers to housing for people with conviction histories. #HousingNotHurdles

Do good. Look good. Support the fight for justice reform with merch that says something. And when you stock up on the latest from the Vera Store right now, you'll save 15%! Offer good through December 15: shop.vera.org

On Monday, New York lawmakers introduced the Immigration Due Process Protection Act, legislation that supports safety by upholding due process and the integrity of the legal system. gothamist.com/news/new-yor...

Incarcerated college students face a unique set of challenges to earning a degree, from limited resources to prison lockdowns. The result is a community of care, where students rely on each other for materials, tutoring, and advice in order to succeed.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to court closures that disrupted the normal flow of the criminal legal system. This upheaval took place only three months after bail reform went into effect in New York State, making it very challenging to isolate the impacts of the reform.

Every day, people who have a legal right to remain in the United States are deported simply because they can’t afford an attorney. Providing attorneys for people facing deportation isn’t just fair—it can change the course of someone’s life.

This year, the Trump administration’s policies have endangered our communities and undermined justice—tearing apart families and driving mass incarceration. Let’s dive into this year’s data on criminal justice and immigration. ⬇️

#Wisconsin immigration attorneys are facing extreme challenges and amplified workloads because of the unstable immigration landscape. Cases that used to be routine are more complex—and their clients’ fears are growing. https://www.wpr.org/news/wisconsin-immigration-attorneys-trump-policy-changes#Wisconsin

#GoodNews: The Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office will now be able to represent people in immigration court, giving people seeking safety and stability the much-needed support to defend their rights. lapublicpress.org/2025/12/la-p...

The Trump administration is inflicting unprecedented violence and cruelty on immigrants. Read the stories of the lawyers trying their best to protect them, even as the system crumbles:

Parole systems often lack transparency, are overly punitive, and clouded by political pressures. But change is possible. We've broken down how parole systems currently operate, and what policy changes are needed to make them fair and effective: https://www.vera.org/news/parole-101