Abstract

This article originally appeared in the Legal Aid Briefcase, February 1967, and was based on Herbert Sturz's testimony before the Senate Subcommittee on Executive Reorganization, December 13, 1966. The primary focus of the Vera Institute of Justice has been on the relationship of poverty to the administration of criminal justice. Well over 50 percent of individuals appearing in the criminal courts of America are indigent, and more are dangerously close. As a neutral private agency, the Vera Institute of Justice has brought together various public agencies in joint programs and experiments to address this issue with action-oriented interventions. This pilot project technique provides great flexibility, allowing planners to adopt successful programs or change the approach on short notice, as needed.