At Vera Action, we fight to end mass incarceration, protect immigrants’ rights, and build safe and thriving communities. Alongside organizers and advocates, government leaders, and elected officials across the political aisle, we work to enact transformative policy change for safety and justice at the local, state, and federal levels.

Our Work

Messaging Justice

Vera Action produces public opinion research to shape a national conversation about safety and justice—that we can have both and there is no false choice between one or the other. We use tested messages and polling in our issue advocacy and campaigns to counter the opposition’s scare tactics in the media and the political arena.

State and Local Advocacy

Vera Action harnesses decades of expertise in criminal legal and immigration reform to bring our unique assets of data, evidence, and solutions to the policy arena. We work in over 20 statehouses and city and county legislatures across the country on campaigns for pretrial justice, ending unjust fines and fees, advancing the right to counsel for immigrants, winning budget investments in community-driven safety, and more.

Federal Policy

Vera Action advocates in Congress and the administration to impact federal levers for justice reform—including appropriations, executive action, and federal legislation. In coalition with other advocates, we lead or are a part of federal campaigns to reinstate Pell grants for college in prison, win the right to counsel for immigrants, and advance sentencing reform, jail and prison oversight, and police accountability.

Resources

Ten Takeaways on How Crime Impacts Elections

Summer 2023 Media Briefing

Philadelphia Mayoral Primary Exit Survey

Chicago Mayoral Runoff Exit Survey

Making Meaning of the 2022 Midterms

Issues

Our sister organization, Vera Institute of Justice, and other partners have developed research and solutions to help understand, explain, and transform the criminal legal and immigration systems.