Vera Institute — Jail and Prison Conditions — Galsworthy Criminal Justice Reform Program

Vera Institute for Justice and MASS Design Group Reimagine Prisons

“The MASS report for Vera charts the evolution of carceral typologies, develops a framework for evaluating the current landscape of prisons, and culminates with a vision for a “reimagined system” in which the mission and objectives of the current model are shifted from a retributive, punitive, and sequestering approach to a restorative and therapeutic one—one which many experts believe could greatly reduce the high recidivism rate and help former inmates succeed in reentering their communities.“

Architectural Record

March 4, 2019

Prison DesignPhillip ReevesMarch 4, 2019Architectural Record, Vera InstituteComment

Why The Incarcerated Deserve Humane Treatment on Day 2 of the National Prison Strike

"Nicholas Turner is the president of the Vera Institute of Justice. He spoke with guest host of The Takeaway Matt Katz about why American prisons can be so dehumanizing."

The Takeaway

August 22, 2018

Jail & Prison ConditionsAnthony BradleyAugust 28, 2018The Takeaway, Vera Institute

Why Temperatures in Prisons and Jails Matter

“The consequences of these heat waves can be severe. A Columbia Law School climate study estimated that most of those incarcerated did not have air conditioning in their units. Exposure to high heat alone can lead to increases in aggression, suicide, poor cognitive functioning, and overall poor mental health. What’s more, over 20 percent of people incarcerated in U.S. prisons have a mental illness, and an aging prison population means that many individuals are suffering from medical conditions like high blood pressure. Psychotropic drugs and high blood pressure medications can both disrupt the body's ability to regulate heat and cool itself down—meaning that many people in prison face higher risk of overheating.“

Vera Institute

August 10, 2018

Jail & Prison ConditionsPhillip ReevesAugust 10, 2018Vera InstituteComment

How young women are building promise in a Connecticut prison

"The mentors and staff at York brought the W.O.R.T.H name to life—putting in countless hours of hard work in partnership with Vera’s Restoring Promise team to ensure that the unit is a success: It prioritizes family engagement, self-expression, peer support, personal growth and development, education, and career readiness."

Vera Institute

August 2, 2018

Prison ProgramsAnthony BradleyAugust 6, 2018Vera Institute, Connecticut, WORTH

Rethinking Restrictive Housing

"Since the 1980s, the increase in restrictive housing has mirrored the exponential rise of incarceration. Originally intended to manage people who committed violence within jails and prisons, restrictive housing has become a common tool for responding to all levels of rule violations, from minor to serious; managing challenging populations; and housing people considered vulnerable. In short, just as systems have come to rely too heavily on incarceration, departments of corrections now rely too much on restrictive housing."

Vera Institute

May 1, 2018

Jail & Prison ConditionsAnthony BradleyJuly 29, 2018Vera Institute, Housing

Jail and Prison Conditions

Galsworthy CJR Program

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