Tracy Velazquez is the Senior Manager of The Pew Charitable Trusts' Research, Safety and Justice.
Directing criminal justice research for the Pew Charitable Trusts requires a keen understanding of all aspects of the criminal justice system. And because Pew's research can't just sit on a shelf, Tracy needs to be able to connect the dots to public policies at the local, state and national level. Her depth of experience working with and for organizations leading criminal justice reform efforts have given her insights few others in the field can match. Tracy has appeared on CNN to discuss private prisons, been a guest on NPR's Fresh Air, and has had opinions published in the Washington Post and New York Times. She has presented at conferences of legislative leaders and provided testimony to Congressional hearings and briefings. Most recently, Tracy's research has focused on probation and jails. Currently, she is working on several pieces on the intersection of the behavioral health and justice systems; as former Executive Director of the Mental Health Association in Montana, this is an area of particular interest and expertise for Tracy.
Tracy has also been active in electoral politics, having been Montana's Democratic candidate for U.S. Congress and serving as vice chair of the Montana Democratic Party. While living in Montana, Tracy also co-hosted her own radio show, "Consensus Improbable," on a conservative talk radio station. She knows how to talk about complicated issues so that they resonate with a variety of audiences.
Tracy earned a bachelor's degree Cum Laude from Harvard University, and has an M.S. in Justice, Law and Criminology from American University and a Master's in Public Administration from Montana State University.
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Expert DirectLink
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Local Spending on Jails Tops $25 Billion
Pew Charitable Trusts report -
States Can Shorten Probation and Protect Public Safety
Pew Charitable Trusts report -
Beyond Second Chances: Returning Citizens’ Re-entry Struggles and Successes in the District of Columbia
Report for the Council for Court Excellence [December 12, 2016] -
The Case for a Young Adult Criminal Justice System
Online news article [May 1, 2013] -
Gaming the System: The Influence of the Private Prison Industry on Incarceration Policies
Congressional Briefing, "Banking on Bondage: Private Prisons and Mass Incarceration” [February 23, 2012] -
An Unconsidered Benefit of Health Reform: Fewer Prisoners
The Washington Post op ed [October 7, 2009]