Support the Second Chance Act

Support the Second Chance Act UPDATE Please add your organization to the national sign-on letter in support of funding for the Second Chance Act in FY 2013. Congress recently began developing the appropriations bill that will determine funding for the Second Chance Act in fiscal year 2013. As this work progresses, the field must send a strong message to Congress about the important role that Second Chance Act programs have in lowering recidivism rates and building safer communities. A letter in support of the Second Chance Act is now circulating. Sign your organization on today and forward the letter to others in your community. WHAT YOU CAN DO 1.      Contact Jeff Burdette at the Council of State Governments Justice Center at jburdette@csg.org to add your organization to the letter. 2.      Click here to contact your Congressional delegation and let them know about your support for the Second Chance Act. 3.      Share this information with others in your state and community and enlist them to do the same. BACKGROUND 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 and mental health treatment, housing, family programming, education and literacy programs, mentoring, victims support, and other services that can help reduce recidivism.