Second Chance Act of 2007

MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, CIVIL RIGHTS, SOCIAL SERVICES AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE GROUPS APPLAUD PASSAGE OF THE SECOND CHANCE ACT AND HIGHLIGHT CALL FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORMS NOW

New Report finds that 1 in 9 Young African American Men are in Jail or Prison: Shows Urgent Need for Action

Washington D.C. – Today, Congressman Danny K. Davis (IL-7^th) was joined by colleagues; Congressman Bobby Scott, Congressman Chris Cannon, Congressman Stephanie Tubbs Jones, Congressman Chris Cannon, Congressman Sheila Jackson Lee, Congressman Carolyn Kilpatrick, Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressman James Clyburn, Democratic Majority Whip, Congressman John Conyers, Chairman of the Committee of the Judiciary and former Congressman and HUD Secretary Jack Kemp to announce the passage of the Second Chance Act of 2007 in Congress.

Congressman Danny K. Davis said, "The Second Chance Act is landmark because it is comprehensive legislation that will have an everlasting impact across the country. It is movement towards recognizing the human worth of individuals and the positive roles they can play, although they may have been convicted of a crime."

In addition to Members of Congress, several organizations joined the press conference including the NAACP, TASC's Center for Health and Justice, Legal Action Center, Sentencing Project, Goodwill Industries International, Open Society Institute, FEDCURE, Prison Fellowship and others.

"A relatively modest investment in offender reentry efforts compares very well with the alternative – building more prisons for these ex-offenders to return to if they are unable to successfully reenter their communities," added Sen. Biden. "An ounce of prevention, as they say, is worth a pound of cure."

Congressman Danny K. Davis, chief sponsor of the historic Second Chance Act of 2007 applauded his colleagues in both the House of Representatives and the U. S. Senate, members from both sides of the aisle, for moving the Second Chance Act of 2007 to the point where the legislation was passed in the U. S. Senate. President George W. Bush is poised to sign the legislation into law.

Congresswoman Carolyn C. Kilpatrick (D-MI) said, "I am pleased to salute Congressman Danny Davis (IL), my colleagues in the House and Members of the U.S. Senate for affording Americans a second chance at life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, by passing the Second Chance Act of 2007."

A new report from The Pew Charitable Trusts, "1 in 100: Behind Bars in America 2008" shows that 1 percent of U.S. adults are now behind bars. It's time to make the Second Chance Act of 2007 law. A bi-partisan U. S. House passed the Second Chance Act of 2007 by 347 to 62. The Act will provide essential resources for prisoner reentry.

Melody Heaps, President of the Center for Health and Justice at Tasc said, ""Reentry solutions such as the Second Chance Act and complementary No Entry solutions that keep non-violent drug-involved individuals from going to prison in the first place are key in stopping this revolving door of drugs, crime, and incarceration."

Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones said, "My home State of Ohio has one of the largest populations of ex-offenders re-entering the community, with about 24,000 ex-offenders returning to their respective communities annually," said Rep. Tubbs Jones. "Such high recidivism rates translate into thousands of new crimes each year and wasted taxpayer dollars, which can be averted through improved prisoner reentry efforts. Passage of this legislation is a crucial step to breaking down barriers to successful re-entry and allowing offenders and their families the tools necessary to break the cycle of criminality. I'd like to thank my colleagues in both the House and Senate, particularly Rep. Danny Davis who I have worked with for four years on passing this important piece of legislation. I look forward to President Bush signing this legislation into law soon."

According to a new report from the Congressional Research Service,"Offender Reentry: Correctional Statistics, Reintegration into the Community, and Recidivism," the United States incarcerates more of its citizens than any other nation in the world. The report also indicates that of the 2.2 million people currently incarcerated, over 95% of offenders currently serving prison sentences will return to the community at some point.

With over 18,000 people returning to local communities like Chicago every year, criminal justice reform and the Second Chance Act will help these communities. Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley said, "The Second Chance Act is an important step forward in getting the needed federal resources to help Chicago and other cities enhance their ex-offender programs, help transform these individuals into productive members of society and help reduce recidivism."

In addition to prisoner re-entry, recent studies suggest that the importance of calling attention to solutions to the nation's burgeoning prisons and jails including no-entry or diversion initiatives, sentencing reform, and drug treatment and prevention strategies.

Davis concluded, "There is an urgent need for criminal justice reform in this country. Prisoner Reentry is one aspect of this very serious issue. Criminal Justice reform is badly needed to alleviate the growing costs of incarcerating prisoners, the devastating impact on victims, and the negative impact on the very fabric of American life."

The Press Conference was sponsored by the following organizations and representatives:

• Congressman James Clyburn
• Congressman Elijah Cummings
• Congressman Bobby L. Rush
• Former Congressman Jack Kemp
• Illinois Legislative Black Caucus
• State Rep. Constance Howard (IL)
• State Rep. LaShawn K. Ford (IL)
• State Rep. Karen Yarbrough (IL)
• NAACP
• TASC's Center for Health and Justice (Illinois)
• Legal Action Center
• Sentencing Project
• FEDCURE
• Goodwill Industries International
• Catholic Charities USA
• Ohio Community Corrections Association
• Prison Fellowship
• Open Society Institute
• Safer Foundation (Illinois)
• National Alliance to End Homelessness
• National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare
• United Methodist Church, General Board of Church and Society
• Therapeutic Communities of America
• International Community Corrections Association
• Oriana House, Inc. (Cleveland, Ohio)
• Southern ColoradeCURE
• Real Men Charities (Illinois)
• City Youth and Adult Foundation (Illinois)
• Connections-Lutheran Social Services of Illinois (Illinois)
• Community Behavioral Healthcare Association of Illinois
• Prison Foundation
• Prison Art Gallery
• Mercy Hospital and Medical Center of Chicago
• United in Peace, Inc. (Illinois)
• Deer Rehabilitation Services (Illinois)
• TARGET Area DevCorp (Illinois)
• Developing Justice Coalition (Illinois)
• A Safe Haven (Illinois)
• Illinois Clergy Association for Community and Economic Development
• New Leaf-NewLife, Inc (Indiana)
• Cook County Bar Association (Illinois)
• Cook County Bar Association Expungemnet Project (IL)

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