Letter to the U.S. Congress Supporting the Passage of H.R. 4676, the Second Chance Act of 2004

June 23, 2004  
 
Dear Member of Congress:  
 
We, the undersigned organizations, including criminal justice, service provider, faith-based, housing, disability, and civil rights groups, urge you to support passage of the bipartisan Second Chance Act of 2004: Community Safety through Recidivism Prevention. This legislation begins to address the reentry of more than 600,000 men and women who return to society each year from federal and state prisons, and the thousands more who reenter from local jails each day. As President Bush said in this year’s State of the Union Address, “[w]e know from long experience that if they can’t find work, or a home or help, they are much more likely to commit more crimes and return to prison.”

Few of those who return to our communities every day are prepared for their release or receive any supportive services beyond a bus ticket and a few days’ spending money. One-third of all corrections departments provide no funds to prisoners upon release. While 70 to 85 percent of state prisoners need substance abuse treatment, just 13 percent receive it while incarcerated. In addition to substance abuse disorders, many of those leaving jail and prison have other chronic health issues, no housing, little education or job training, and generally lack resources to allow them to reintegrate. While research shows that these supportive services are critical to an individual’s safe and successful reentry, barriers are in place that make it difficult, if not impossible, for people with criminal records to access them. As a result, according to a 2002 study by the Justice Department, sixty-seven percent of persons released from state prisons were arrested for a new crime within the first three years after release. The economic and social costs of failing to provide services to these individuals are simply too high, and the benefits of effective reintegration are too great, for Congress to fail to act.  
 
The Second Chance Act of 2004 is an important first step toward reducing today’s unacceptably high recidivism rate and its accompanying costs, including the threat to public safety. Reducing recidivism rates will protect the public, strengthen families, save money, and redeem lives. This legislation begins the process of ensuring better coordination and planning for release, providing for improved drug treatment, job training and education programs, maintenance of family relationships, much-needed services upon release, and review of the many barriers facing individuals upon their release from incarceration.  
 
Because time is short for congressional action this year, we urge Congress to act promptly to pass this important legislation. It not only will enhance public safety but it will improve the quality of life in communities across the country.  
Please let us know if we can provide you with additional information on reentry.  
 
Thank you for your leadership on this critically important issue.  
 
AIDS Housing of Washington  
All of Us or None, Oklahoma City, OK (OKC) Chapter  
American Correctional Association  
American Jail Association  
American Probation and Parole Association  
Association of Citizens for Social Reform  
Center for Community Alternatives  
Child Welfare League of America  
Citizens United for Rehabilitation of Errants – Virginia, Inc.  
Connections to Success  
The Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities Criminal Justice Policy Task Force  
Criminon International  
Family Justice  
Human Rights Watch  
Justice Fellowship  
Leadership Conference on Civil Rights  
Legal Action Center  
National AIDS Housing Coalition  
National Alliance to End Homelessness  
National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice  
National Association of Counties  
The National Association of Protection and Advocacy Systems (NAPAS)  
National Black Church Taskforce Initiative on Crime and Criminal Justice  
National Consortium of TASC Programs Inc.  
National Correctional Industries Association  
National Council of La Raza  
National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty  
National Low Income Housing Coalition  
National Network for Youth  
National Religious Affairs Association  
National Transitional Jobs Network  
Prison Fellowship  
The Sentencing Project  
Therapeutic Communities of America  
TurnAround Village, LTD  
The United States Conference of Mayors  
Volunteers of America  

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