The United States urgently needs to reduce its use of jails, prisons, and detention centers

The United States is among most incarcerated nations in the world, with nearly two million people in prisons and jails and thousands more in immigration detention. Many people are locked up simply because they can’t afford bail.

Many others are serving long prison sentences stemming from misguided “tough-on-crime” policies. Vera works to end money bail, support prosecutors working to eliminate racial disparities in charging and sentencing, stop the unnecessary use of jails, and end cruelly long sentencing policies.