Vera Institute of Justice 123d ago

Young adulthood (ages 18 to 25) is a period of significant emotional and cognitive development, during which young people are particularly at risk of ending up in prison. When a person is sentenced to prison, the punishment should be the deprivation of liberty, not brutal living conditions or the often-humiliating treatment people receive while incarcerated. And yet, many United States prisons create dehumanizing experiences for the people who live and work in them. The Vera Institue of Justice works with corrections leaders to reimagine housing units for young adults in prison and shift policies and practices to reflect a commitment to treating people with human dignity. We posis that human dignity should be the foundational organizing principle of the nation’s corrections systems, recognizing every person’s intrinsic worth and capacity for self-control, autonomy, and rationality. Our findings overwhelmingly suggest that young adults’ experiences are more positive when they are exposed to prison culture change that reflects a commitment to human dignity. Get the facts and learn more at vera.org https://www.vera.org/publications/dignity-and-safety-for-young-adults-in-prison Get the facts and learn more at vera .org https://www.vera.org/publications/dignity-and-safety-for-young-adults-in-prison For more information visit: https://www.vera.org https://www.facebook.com/verainstitute https://twitter.com/verainstitute