Every day, families in the United States are unnecessarily being torn apart. Millions of children are being separated from their parents because of our harmful system of mass incarceration.
Too often, the U.S. criminal legal system fails to recognize that many people who face criminal charges need assistance, not punishment. And when a parent is punished with incarceration, it also sentences their children to harm.
Children with an incarcerated parent are more likely to be held back in school or drop out entirely. But it doesn’t end there—they are also more likely to develop substance use disorders and be involved in the criminal legal system.
Vera is working to invest in solutions like community-based alternatives to incarceration that can help keep families together.
In solidarity,
Vera Institute of Justice
