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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South Carolina reduces occupational licensing barriers for people with criminal records
Several studies have linked occupational licensing policies to increased criminal recidivism.
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Georgia Gov. Kemp signs bill to help released prisoners obtain IDs, documentation
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp just signed into law a bill that helps those freed from prison obtain identification cards and proof of programs and training they have completed while incarcerated.
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IRS delayed its reporting rules targeting gig economy income, but a permanent fix is needed
Taxpayers get one small, temporary reprieve from the government's ongoing crackdown on the sharing economy.
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Californians shouldn’t lose access to telehealth services because emergency order ended
California’s telehealth policies fail to meet best practices for promoting patient access and giving flexibility to health care providers.
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Florida should abolish capital punishment, not make it easier
In Florida, 30 people have been exonerated while they were awaiting execution since 1972.
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California should stop relying on taxation by citation
Using fines and fees to generate government revenue undermines justice and fiscal responsibility in California.
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Louisiana has been detaining people beyond their legal release dates for over a decade
Louisiana’s routine practice of overdetention is not only unjust, but it also comes at a steep cost to taxpayers.
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Land-use regulations continue to cause housing shortage
Local governments must act to reduce the restrictions, compliance costs, and uncertainty introduced by burdensome land-use regulations.
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As inflation rises, incarcerated people are paid less than 63 cents per hour for labor
Commissary prices may rise with inflation, but the wages paid to prisoners are rarely increased.
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Florida must stop relying on taxation by citation
No program or agency should be specifically funded by fines and fees revenue.
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Properly designed impact fees could help Wakulla County accommodate population growth
Impact fees can effectively offset the need to raise additional revenue from other fees and taxes, such as property taxes.
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How text messages could help California reduce parole and probation violations
Text message reminders for parole and probation meetings are an easy and inexpensive way to help people stay on track and reduce recidivism.
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The SAFE-T Act’s impact on cash bail in Illinois
There is ample evidence that even short periods of pretrial detention can result in lost employment, severed social ties, a greater risk of conviction, and an increased likelihood of future criminal involvement.
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Occupational licensing undermines some of the value of technological innovation
The share of U.S. workers required to hold an occupational license has exploded from around 5% in 1950 to 25% in 2020.
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Regulations keep homeownership out of reach for young Americans
Housing policy reforms are urgently needed to place homeownership back within the reach of younger adults.
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Florida Gov. DeSantis continues to pursue Everglades restoration
Florida lawmakers have taken significant steps to advance restoration goals and speed up various projects that have been in progress for nearly two decades.
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Land-use regulations drive up the cost of housing and hamper economic mobility
Excessive regulations are needlessly inflating housing prices and hurting workers and families.
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States need permanent reforms to achieve the full benefits of telehealth services
The rapid rise in telehealth adoption during the pandemic was enabled, in part, by emergency regulatory suspensions at the federal level and in nearly all 50 states.