By Corey Nash, USCM Intern
July 14, 2008

Funding for implementation of the Second Chance Act and successful re-entry programs in cities dominated the discussion at the June 21 organizational meeting of the Ex-Offender Reentry Task Force. Task Force Co-Chair Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon and Irvington (NJ) Mayor Wayne Smith were joined during the session by two members of Congress whose leadership continues to be critical to the future of the Second Chance Act: Congressmen Danny Davis (IL) and Chaka Fattah (PA).

The meeting began with an overview on the magnitude of reentry for cities. Smith stated, "There are 700,000 people released from prison each year, but that is nothing compared to the number of people released from jails across the country. Thirty-four thousand people are released from jail each day. That’s 12 million people per year." Dixon added, "In Baltimore, 100 people leave our detention center each day, which equals 35,000 per year."

The Second Chance Act of 2007 was enacted to improve outcomes for people released from prisons and jails and returning to communities around the country. This Act authorizes $165 million per year for programs that will contribute to reducing recidivism and better coordinate reentry services and policies at the federal, state, and local levels while making the most of government investments. The usage of these funds include mentorship, housing, education and job training, engagement with community colleges, family programming, initiatives addressing victim priorities and restorative justice, research to improve effectiveness of release and revocation decisions using risk assessment tools, and reentry court programs. Dixon stated, "Of course we will not reap the benefits from the Second Chance Act unless Congress appropriates sufficient funds."

Davis, co-author of the Second Chance Act said, "Ninety-five percent of people in prison at some point are released from prison. And they all come back somewhere. The impact in terms of the 700,000 people who get out of prison is multiplied by how many children these 700,000 have, plus we must add on the other members of their families and virtually everybody else who they have intimate relationships or association with. You are talking about a mass number of people who are negatively impacted by this problem!"

"The Second Chance Act attempts to provide people with a second chance, and we hope with bipartisan support we can come up with enough money to make a difference. The money we are seeking is nothing more than an investment. The Second Chance Act forces discussion and brings together all of the agencies of our government - Labor, Justice, Education, Health and Human Services etc.- to look at this critical problem. Every problem that the typical ex-offender has is not one dimensional," Davis continued.

Fattah complimented the Conference for taking on this issue and adding that he felt there are far too many people incarcerated and it costs society in a variety of ways. Fattah, a member of the House Appropriations Committee and the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, stated, "We will be appropriating the first dollars to the Second Chance Act, and of the $43 million in the chairman’s marks there is $10 million appropriated to mentoring. Yes this is like an opening gambit, but I can assure that the figure will be not be a number that is lower than that."

Dixon told the mayors, "There are many successful model reentry programs that are in place across the country to offer help and services to those people returning home from prison or jail." She and Smith introduced representatives of two programs, which offer help and services to those people returning home from prison or jail in cities. Steven Bountress, Director of Operations at the Living Classrooms Foundation, discussed the successful partnership that Baltimore and Living Classrooms established with the Department of Public Works and Parks and Recreation to create meaningful transitional work opportunities for ex-offenders. The purpose of the Living Classrooms Foundation is to provide hands-on education and job skills training for students from diverse backgrounds, with a special emphasis on serving at-risk youth.

The second presenter, Family Justice Executive Director Carol Shapiro, gave a presentation on how Family Justice utilizes families as a resource to aid ex-offenders upon reentry into society. Founded in 1996, Family Justice has been developing innovative, cost-effective solutions that benefit people at greatest risk of cycling in and out of the justice system. Through advocacy, education, and research, Family Justice offers a range of systemic interventions that address complex issues of people living in poverty, such as substance abuse, mental illness, and HIV/AIDS. By providing extensive training and support to government agencies and community-based organizations, Family Justice helps families to unlock their potential to lead healthier and more productive lives.