Summer 2025 - Intern, Opening Doors

Brooklyn, NY

Who we are:

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. For more information, visit vera.org.

Vera has a staff of 224 people, is headquartered in Brooklyn, New York and has offices in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and New Orleans. We are an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to diversity in the workplace. We expect our staff to embody respect, independence, collaboration, commitment, anti-racism, and equity—both in our outward-facing work and the internal culture of our workplace. We value a range of experiences in people’s educational backgrounds and encourage people who have been directly impacted by the criminal justice system to apply.

About the team:

Vera’s Opening Doors Initiative is a national initiative to expand access to housing for people with conviction histories. The initiative is pursuing state legislative campaigns for policy change, pursuing federal policy changes, providing technical assistance to housing finance agencies, and developing and lifting up evidence to support these policy changes.

About the role:

The Opening Doors Intern will provide programmatic, research, and administrative support on state-based portfolios and national work to advance housing access for people with conviction histories. The intern will collaborate with team members to support research needs, technical assistance to State Housing Finance Agencies, provide support with the planning of a housing pilot project for people with conviction histories, and other related activities. The ideal candidate is passionate, creative, committed to race, equity, and inclusion, and has interest in policy analysis and research. In this role, the Intern will develop professional development skills and begin to work more independently, with support, mentorship, and supervision from more experienced team members.

What you'll do:

Conduct desk research and synthesize the findings

• Support desk research needed to understand the landscape in specific states where we are working on projects
• Support in the creation of memos to document learnings for internal and external audiences
• Support ongoing research activities by identifying public data sources and compiling and reviewing state-specific housing policies

Support programmatic and advocacy work

• Meet and interact with housing and criminal justice reform stakeholders, community-based organizations, state legislators, state executive agencies, and other stakeholders in the field.
• Conduct legislative and policy research on both federal and state levels.
• Assist with planning and organizing a national housing convening with partner organizations to bring housing and criminal justice reform stakeholders together.

Support technical assistance to Housing Finance Agencies

• Meet with community partners
• Conduct research into state and local housing programs supporting people w/ conviction histories
• Support implementation of state work plans

Administrative and other related tasks

• Administrative tasks such as webinar logistics and correspondence internally and externally.
• Participate in other program activities and events during the summer.

What qualifications are we looking for?

• Current undergraduate or graduate student, or recent graduates, with a demonstrated interest in the criminal legal system; or
• Demonstrated ability to work with advocates, government officials, criminal legal system personnel, practitioners, and people who are directly impacted by the criminal legal system.

Preferred:

• Education in public policy, social work, political science, criminal justice, or related field; or equivalent work experience.
• Lived experience as a person directly impacted by the criminal legal system.
• Strong interest in racial justice advocacy

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities you'll bring: 

• Strong organizational skills.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite.

Technical knowledge we need you to be prepared to use:

• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

Location:

Please note this role will report to our Brooklyn, NY, or Washington, D.C. office. Vera interns and employees adhere to a hybrid schedule and are in-office on an alternating schedule. Full-time positions generally amount to 10 days per month. Part-time positions generally amount to 5 days per month.

Schedule:

The intern should be available to work up to 35 hours per week during the summer. The dates will be between June 2nd and August 8th, with some flexibility to accommodate personal and academic schedules.

Compensation:

The compensation range for internships is $16.00 - $25.00 per hour. Actual compensation will vary depending on factors including but not limited to experience and performance. Applicants may choose to receive academic credit. For those who need to earn academic credit, Vera will gladly assist in working with the school or program to make arrangements and meet requirements.

How to apply:

Please submit cover letter and resume. In your cover letter, please explain why you are passionate about criminal justice reform and what you hope to gain from this internship.

Applications may also be faxed to:

ATTN: People, Place, and Culture / Intern, Opening Doors

Vera Institute of Justice

34 35th St, Suite 4-2A, Brooklyn, NY 11232

Fax: (212) 941-9407

Please use only one method (online, mail or fax) of submission.

No phone calls, please. Only applicants selected for interviews will be contacted.

Vera is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without unlawful discrimination based on race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, prior record of arrest or conviction, citizenship status, current employment status, or caregiver status. 

Vera works to advance justice, particularly racial justice, in an increasingly multicultural country and globally connected world. We value diverse experiences, including with regard to educational background and justice system contact, and depend on a diverse staff to carry out our mission. 

For more information about Vera, please visit www.vera.org.