Today, the FBI released national crime data from 2021 that was collected through a new reporting system called The National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS). Nicholas Turner, president and director of the Vera Institute of Justice, issued the following statement:

“The latest FBI crime statistics underscore that public safety matters to all communities, and people want real solutions that prevent crime. Safe neighborhoods have access to jobs, health care, housing, good schools, and violence prevention programs. When elected officials or candidates talk of undoing progress to deal with crime, it is the kind of status quo approach to safety that the vast majority of the public say they have grown tired of. We need solutions – not rhetoric. Elected officials need to do their jobs and invest in the promising breakthrough solutions that actually make communities safer.”

About the Vera Institute of Justice
The Vera Institute of Justice is powered by hundreds of advocates, researchers, and policy experts working to transform the criminal legal and immigration systems until they’re fair for all. Founded in 1961 to advocate for alternatives to money bail in New York City, Vera is now a national organization that partners with impacted communities and government leaders for change. We develop just, antiracist solutions so that money doesn’t determine freedom; fewer people are in jails, prisons, and immigration detention; and everyone is treated with dignity. Vera’s headquarters is in Brooklyn, New York, with offices in Washington, DC, New Orleans, and Los Angeles. For more information, visit vera.org.