Using independent data, researchers found that a 2017 general order by the Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County increased the number of people released pretrial and was not associated with any significant change in new criminal activity, violent or otherwise.

There are concerns about plea bargaining’s role in fueling mass incarceration. The Vera Institute of Justice, with support from the Safety and Justice Challenge, examined the small but growing body of empirical studies that has developed around plea bargaining.

On any given night in the United States, more than 550,000 people are experiencing homelessness. Among these, 96,000 are chronically homeless, meaning they are facing long and repeated episodes of homelessness that make it increasingly difficult to return to housing. The time has come for local justice systems to take immediate action to halt the cycle of homelessness and jail incarceration.

The success of AI technology is likely to inspire an increase in the availability of AI-based pre-trial risk assessment instruments in the coming years. This critical issue brief equips practitioners considering adopting an AI-based pre-trial risk assessment tool to consider relevant questions.

Releasing people who pose little threat to their communities both benefits public health and allows people to stay with their jobs and families during these uncertain times.

New funding—part of $217M investment in 51 U.S. cities and counties—will support initiatives aimed at safely reducing jail population and reducing racial and ethnic disparities