Published: 04-09-08
President Bush to Sign Unprecedented Prisoner Reentry Legislation
Plano Texas—State Representative Jerry Madden traveled to Washington D.C. to stand with President Bush for his signing of the Second Chance Act of 2007. Madden serves as Board Member on the Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center.
“I am honored to represent the people of Texas House District 67 and the CSG Justice Center at the signing of the 2nd Chance Act” said Madden. “This legislation will increase public safety improve lives and make more effective use of Texas taxpayer dollars.”
This first-of-its-kind legislation authorizes grants to government agencies and nonprofit groups to provide employment assistance substance abuse treatment housing family programming mentoring victims support and other services that reduce re-offending and violations of probation and parole.
In Texas the 80th Legislature approved many significant programs for treatment and reintegration of prisoners. These efforts were led by Representative Madden & Senator John Whitmire and were supported by Gov. Perry.
They have put Texas at the forefront of the efforts envisioned by this federal legislation.
A recent report from The Pew Charitable Trusts’ Public Safety Performance Project indicates that nearly 1 in 100 adults are incarcerated in the United States.
Earlier Justice Department research suggests that the vast majority of these individuals who are in state prisons will eventually be released to Texas communities and more than half will return to prison within three (3) years.
The Second Chance Act will help communities better prepare for their return and address issues that are related to reducing recidivism.
Senators Sam Brownback (R-KS) Arlen Specter (R-PA) Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Joseph Biden (D-DE) introduced the bill which was passed by unanimous consent in the Senate.
Representatives Danny K. Davis (D-IL) Chris Cannon (R-UT) Stephanie Tubbs-Jones (D-OH) Howard Coble (R-NC) and John Conyers (D-MI) introduced the bill in the House.
Though it took more than four years from its first introduction to final passage the bill had steadfast bipartisan support in both the House and Senate.
“I urge the Appropriations Committees in Congress to make certain that the Second Chance Act has the funding needed to enable community and faith-based organizations to deliver needed services” said Madden.
“Properly supported this law will connect people released from prison and jail to mentoring and vital mental health and substance abuse treatment expand job training and placement services and facilitate transitional housing and case management services.”
Based on the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics estimates it is expected that more than 650000 individuals will return from prison each year to our communities. With the recidivism rate approximated at about 66 percent within three years of release nationally the impact on public safety and taxpayer spending is tremendous.
The Council of State Governments Justice Center is a national nonprofit organization that serves policymakers at the local state and federal levels from all branches of government. For more resources on reentry please visit the Justice Center Reentry Policy Council website—http://www.reentrypolicy.org/.
