Another chance for the Second Chance Act

Signed into law on April 9, 2008, the Second Chance Act (P.L. 110-199) was designed to improve outcomes for people returning to communities from prisons and jails. This first-of-its-kind legislation authorizes federal grants to government agencies and nonprofit organizations to provide employment assistance, substance abuse treatment, housing, family programming, mentoring, victims support, and other services that can help reduce recidivism.

Please contact your senators today.

More can be found at the National Reentry Resource Center

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Dear Second Chance Act Advocates,

Recently, the Senate eliminated funding for the Second Chance Act in their version of the FY 12 funding bill for the Department of Justice. In July, the House Appropriations Committee provided $70 million in their fiscal year 2012 Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations bill.
Although funding was eliminated in the Senate bill, there is still time to restore funding for the program when the House and Senate Appropriations Committees attempt to resolve differences between the two spending bills. It is crucial that the field respond quickly with letters to the Hill to ensure that the Second Chance Act is funded in FY 2012.

The Second Chance Act passed with overwhelming bipartisan support and was signed into law in April 2008. It is a common sense, evidence-based approach to improving outcomes for people returning to communities from prisons and jails. This first-of-its-kind legislation authorizes federal grants to government agencies and nonprofit organizations to provide employment assistance, substance abuse treatment, housing, family programming, mentoring, victims support, and other services that can help reduce recidivism.

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP:

1. Please contact your members of Congress and send a letter of support by visiting http://www.capwiz.com/csgjusticectr/home/. If you would like to personalize your letter with examples from your state or community, please email Jay Nelson at jnelson@csg.org for a MS Word version of the sample letter.

2. Sign the national sign-on letter <http://councilofstategovernmentsjusticecenter.createsend5.com/t/r/l/tdvhkk/jityihidy/d/> in support of Second Chance Act funding by contacting jnelson@csg.org

3. Visit the Justice Center/Reentry Policy Council page at http://www.reentrypolicy.org/government_affairs/second_chance_act to access talking points, fact sheets, list of Second Chance Act grantees and additional information.

4. Share this information and ask your colleagues and friends to help protect funding for the Second Chance Act.

TIMING

The Senate and House are working on FY12 funding now, so it is imperative that you contact your Members of Congress as soon as possible.

Thank you for your continued support for the Second Chance Act. Together, we can show Congress the need to continue funding for this important program that improves the lives of people returning prisons, jails, and juvenile facilities.

Jamal (Jay) Nelson

Government Affairs

Council of State Governments Justice Center

4630 Montgomery Ave., Suite 650

Bethesda, MD 20814

240.482.8580 (direct)

www.justicecenter.csg.org

The Council of State Governments Justice Center is a national nonprofit organization that serves policymakers at the local, state, and federal levels from all branches of government. It provides
practical, nonpartisan advice and consensus-driven strategies—informed by available evidence—to increase public safety and strengthen communities.