Jennifer Peirce

Jennifer Peirce, PhD, currently serves as the Associate Director of Research for the Beyond Jails Initiative at the Vera Institute of Justice, overseeing a research portfolio focused on local pretrial justice issues and jail decarceration. With a robust background in criminal justice research, Jennifer has held various positions at Vera, including Senior Research Associate and Interim Program Director for Jail Decarceration. Jennifer's academic credentials include a PhD in Criminal Justice from the Graduate Center, CUNY, with research that examined prison life and reforms in the Dominican Republic. Previous experience encompasses roles as a Citizen Security Policy Analyst at the Inter-American Development Bank, a Program Officer for Global Affairs Canada, and research roles in various organizations addressing issues related to violence, justice, and gender equality.