Vittorio Nastasi
Director of Criminal Justice Policy, Reason Foundation
Vittorio Nastasi is the director of criminal justice policy at Reason Foundation, where he provides research and technical assistance to lawmakers and stakeholders across the country.
His work focuses on removing barriers to employment, housing, and education for individuals with criminal records; curbing excessive criminal fines and fees; and reducing system overreach through policy research and legislative engagement. His research and commentary have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Orange County Register, Atlanta Journal–Constitution, Palm Beach Post, and Tallahassee Democrat, among others.
Before joining Reason, he worked with the James Madison Institute and the DeVoe L. Moore Center, researching land-use regulation, occupational licensing, and criminal justice policy. Nastasi holds bachelor’s degrees in economics and political science and is currently a doctoral candidate at Florida State University’s Askew School of Public Administration and Policy. He is based in Tallahassee, Florida.
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Alaska Ballot Measure 2 would repeal top-four ranked-choice voting
Alaska Ballot Measure 2 would return Alaska to partisan primaries and a single-choice, plurality-wins vote system.
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Arizona Proposition 311 would use criminal convictions to fund first responder death benefits
Proposition 311 would impose a $20 fee on every criminal conviction to fund a lump-sum $250,000 benefit paid to the spouse or children of first responders killed in the line of duty.
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California Proposition 6 would end forced work in prisons
California Proposition 6 would change the state constitution to abolish forcing prisoners to work.
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Idaho Proposition 1 would allow top-four ranked choice voting
The Idaho Top-Four Ranked-Choice Voting Initiative would also change state primary elections from a closed system.
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Nevada Question 3 would allow top-five ranked choice voting
Under the initiative, the top five candidates overall would advance to the general election, regardless of party affiliation.
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Oregon Measure 117 would allow for ranked-choice voting in federal and state elections
Ranked-choice voting is an effective alternative to plurality vote systems for offering voters more choices.
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Missouri Amendment 6 would use fees to support law enforcement salaries
Adding the proposed language to the Missouri Constitution would reinstate a $3 court fee that funded the Missouri Sheriff’s Retirement System.
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Michigan requires greater transparency to support public trust in law enforcement
Michigan House Bill 5749 would clarify that law enforcement disciplinary records are not exempted from public records requests.
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Providing IDs to returning citizens in Pennsylvania would facilitate successful reintegration
H.B. 1601 would require the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections to establish a program to assist citizens in obtaining state-issued photo IDs before release.
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Tennessee reduces unnecessary occupational licensing barriers for people with criminal records
House Bill 1859 builds on the success of Tennessee’s Fresh Start Act by providing greater clarity for occupational licensing applicants who are denied licensure based on their criminal history.
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Georgia’s House Bill 926 will help address court-related driver’s license suspensions
Judge Gary Jackson of the Atlanta Municipal Court described failure to appear license reinstatement as “the number one administrative challenge we have in our court.”
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The effects of cash bail on crime and court appearances
Research suggests that curtailing the use of monetary release conditions among low-risk defendants would not result in dramatic drops in court attendance or increased risk of reoffending.
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California politicians shouldn’t forget the effectiveness of telehealth
California's antiquated licensing laws and regulations prevent patients from accessing needed health care.
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Kentucky House Bill 124 would reduce occupational licensing barriers for former offenders
House Bill 124 would reduce barriers to employment while maintaining the protections appropriate for ensuring public safety.
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Florida’s successful telehealth policies should be applied to address dental care shortages
More than seven million Floridians live in areas with shortages of dental health professionals.
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New York’s clean slate reforms offer former offenders a second chance
New York’s approach to automated record sealing strikes an appropriate balance between upholding public safety and offering former offenders a second chance.
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South Dakota reduces unnecessary occupational licensing barriers for people with criminal records
South Dakota's Senate Bill 57 is a major step in the right direction in reducing barriers to employment for individuals with criminal records.
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Analysis: 34 cities in Georgia collected at least 20 percent of their total revenue from fines and forfeitures
Five cities in Georgia—Lenox, Warwick, Oliver, Hiltonia, and Rock Ford—collected at least 50 percent of their total revenues from fines and forfeitures.
