Reauthorize the Second Chance Act

Jul 12, 2011

Dear Senator,

As faith-based and community organizations and individuals, we write in strong support of S. 1231, the Second Chance Reauthorization Act of 2011.

Many of us were part of the diverse coalition of the more than 200 groups that supported and worked on the Second Chance Act, which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support and was signed into law in April 2007. We believe this was a significant first step toward creating a more just criminal justice system and safer communities.

Since its passage, over 250 Second Chance grants have been awarded to community and faith-based organizations, and to state, local and tribal governments spanning almost every state in the country, all to improve public safety and reduce recidivism by helping offenders reintegrate into their communities.

But there is much work still to be done. We believe that our treatment of the least fortunate in this society is a critical part of our faith and, unfortunately, most of the more than 700,000 individuals who return to our communities from state and federal prisons each year remain in this category. Too few of them are prepared for their release or receive any support, and many suffer from chronic health problems, have no housing, little education or job training, and generally lack the supportive services needed for a successful re-entry. As a result, 68 percent of them will be rearrested, and more than half will return to prison within three years of their release. We can and must do better. To improve current law, Senators Patrick Leahy and Rob Portman recently introduced S 1231, the Second Chance Reauthorization Act of 2011. The bill is designed to increase public safety and strengthen families by consolidating grants, making reentry programs more efficient and accountable, and providing offenders with additional incentives to participate in rigorous recidivism reduction programs. Further, it will reduce overcrowding and costs within the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

Among some of the key provisions of the Second Chance Reauthorization Act, the bill will:

- Provide support for planning and implementation of key reentry projects to ensure that those projects use methods proven through testing and review to lead to meaningful reductions in recidivism rates;
- Consolidate the Reentry Courts Program and the Prosecution Drug Treatment Alternative to Prison Program into one grant program with multiple uses to ensure that federal dollars are effectively spent;
- Create an incentive for inmates to participate in rigorous recidivism reduction programming by awarding a credit of up to 60 days per year toward completion of their sentence for participation in such programs;
- Repeal several programs that have not been funded or have been completed;
- Require periodic audits of grantees to ensure that federal dollars are responsibly spent; grantees with problematic audits will not be eligible for funding in future years.

For these reasons, we urge you to support and pass S. 1231 as soon as possible.

Respectfully,

THE ALEPH INSTITUE
AMERICAN BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETIES
CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY
CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN, GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS
DISCIPLES JUSTICE ACTION NETWORK
FRIENDS COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL LEGISLATION
HEALING COMMUNITIES
INSTITUTE ON RELIGION AND PUBLIC POLICY
INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS (ISKCON)
JEWISH COUNCIL FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS
NATIONAL ADVOCACY CENTER OF THE SISTERS OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF EVANGELICALS
NETWORK, A NATIONAL CATHOLIC SOCIAL JUSTICE LOBBY
ORTHODOX UNION
PRISON FELLOWSHIP
SATMAR INSTITUTIONS
UNION FOR REFORM JUDAISM
UNITED JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS OF WILLIAMSBURG
UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, GENERAL BOARD OF CHURCH AND SOCIETY

Individuals
Greg Mitchell
President
The Mitchell Firm