Spotlight Announcements
This page includes original feature articles produced by the Justice Center, spotlighting a wide variety of reentry issues and information.
If you would like to suggest a topic for a future feature article, please contact us editors@reentrypolicy.org
Date9/20/2005: Second Chance Act Introduced in U.S. House; Senate Introduction Expected Soon
The Second Chance Act, a bill to promote community safety through recidivism prevention, was introduced in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, April 19th as H.R. 1704. If passed, the bill will provide $110 million over two years, $40 million each year for "demonstration grants" to states and $15 million each year for "mentoring grants" to community- and faith-based organizations. The bill is sponsored by Representative Rob Portman, has 28 co-sponsors, and enjoys bipartisan support in both houses of Congress.
9/20/2005: U.S. Congressmen Speak at Policy Forum on Prisoner Reentry
A bipartisan panel of Congressional leaders outlined their vision and plans for innovative reentry legislation in a policy forum on Thursday, February 10th in Washington, DC. Coordinated by the Urban Institute (host of the event) and the Council of State Governments (CSG), the forum featured key sponsors of the Second Chance Act, including Senator Sam Brownback, Representative Rob Portman, and Representative Danny Davis.
9/20/2005: Reentry Courts: An Emerging Trend
Specialty courts, from drug courts to mental health courts, have become a significant part of criminal justice systems across the country. Now, a new type of specialty court can be added to the list. Reentry courts are designed to address the unique circumstances of prisoner reentry and increase the likelihood of successful community reintegration. Over the past five years, they have begun appearing around the country. This feature explores the emerging reentry court trend by asking five questions: (1) Where do reentry courts exist? (2) Whom do reentry courts serve? (3) What are the goals of reentry courts? (4) How are reentry courts administered? And (5) how effective are reentry courts? Resources for more information on reentry courts are included at the end of the page.
A blue-ribbon panel convened by Oklahoma's Governor and Attorney General recently released a report detailing direct and indirect costs incurred by the state as a result of untreated and undertreated mental illness, substance abuse, and domestic violence. The report, "Task Force Recommendations: Mental Health, Substance Abuse and Domestic Violence in Oklahoma," also provides a series of recommendations for reducing costs and improving screening and treatment in criminal justice and community settings.
9/20/2005: New Report Fuels Focus on Parole
A report released this month by the Urban Institute has focused new attention on the impact of postprison supervision. The report, entitled "Does Parole Work?," analyzes rearrest data from 15 states and concludes that, for most individuals, postprison supervision did not significantly reduce the likelihood of rearrest within a two-year period after their release from state prison. A press release and response from the American Probation and Parole Association (APPA), however, argues that the study does not accurately reflect the efficacy of current supervision programs nationwide.
9/20/2005: New Reentry Policy Briefs from the Urban Institute
A set of new policy briefs released by the Urban Institute explore several facets of prisoner reentry in Illinois, including health, housing, substance abuse treatment, and employment. These four briefs are part of the Institute's ongoing "Returning Home" project, a three-year multi-state study documenting the pathways of prisoner reintegration, examining what factors contribute to a successful or unsuccessful reentry experience, and identifying how those factors can inform policy. The new briefs employ original survey data from Illinois to highlight challenges faced by exiting prisoners and offer suggestions for policymakers and service providers looking to improve the success of pre- and post-release programs.
A new study, entitled Relief from the Collateral Consequences of a Criminal Conviction: A State-by-State Resource Guide, illustrates the variety and complexity of state and federal laws that regulate and restrict convicted persons after their court- imposed sentences have been fully discharged.It offers a comprehensive review of state and federal laws and practices relating to restoration of rights and obtaining relief from the collateral consequences of a criminal conviction. The study, authored by Margaret Colgate Love, is intended as a resource for policymakers interested in offender reentry and reintegration, for practitioners at all levels of the criminal justice system, and for people with criminal records who are seeking to put their past behind them.
9/20/2005: New Jersey Institute of Social Justice Convenes Symposium on Legal Barriers to Reentry
The New Jersey Institute of Social Justice (NJISJ) and Seton Hall Law School convened a symposium for legislators, state officials, advocates, and others interested in addressing legal barriers to reentry in New Jersey. The March 17, 2005 event entitled "The Civil Consequences of Criminal Convictions: Issues for Policy and Practice in New Jersey" featured state and national experts, including New Jersey state legislators and judges.
9/20/2005: New Book Spotlights Importance of Reentry
But They All Come Back: Facing the Challenges of Prisoner Reentry, a new book by Jeremy Travis, the President of John Jay College, argues that the reality of mass prisoner reentry and the need to reintegrate these individuals into society can create a new common ground for the development of criminal justice policy.
9/20/2005: National Conference on Court-Based Mental Health Initiatives Held in Los Angeles
Approximately 400 criminal justice and mental health professionals from across the country met on June 21-22, in Los Angeles for the conference, Mental Health Courts and Beyond: Improving the Response to People with Mental Illness in the Criminal Justice System. The conference was coordinated by the Council of State Governments' Criminal Justice / Mental Health Consensus Project, in its capacity as technical assistance provider for the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Mental Health Courts Program (MHCP). Hosted by BJA, the conference was co-sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the National Institute of Corrections. The National GAINS Center also played a key role in helping to plan the conference and coordinate conference sessions.
9/20/2005: Jail-Based Recommendations and Programs in the Report of the Re-Entry Policy Council
Most of the policy statements and specific recommendations in the Report of the Re-Entry Policy Council are equally pertinent to both prisons and jails. In fact, Parts I (Planning a Reentry Initiative) and III (Elements of Effective Health and Social Service Systems) of the Report deal with important aspects of reentry that are relatively independent of the type of facility from which a re-entering individual is released.
9/20/2005: Illinois Launches New Reentry Commission
Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich announced last week the formation of a new Community Safety and Reentry Commission to address recidivism and strengthen reentry management is that state. The 28 member commission, to be chaired by the Reverend Jesse Jackson and an Illinois State's Attorney, will focus on increasing opportunities for successful reentry, removing reentry barriers, and developing cost effective crime prevention and community safety strategies.
9/20/2005: Department of Labor Convenes Meetings to Detail Prisoner Reentry Initiative
The Department of Labor (DOL) is sponsoring three informational meetings across the country for potential applicants for recently announced DOL funding available under the federal Prisoner Reentry Initiative. The meetings will present detailed information on the program design and application requirements, and answer questions from the field.
9/20/2005: Grants.gov: Clearinghouse Makes Federal Funding Opportunities Available Online
Grants from 26 federal agencies-including the Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Department of Labor (DOL), and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)-are now available at Grants.gov, a recently-launched online clearinghouse. Grants.gov, a federal cross-agency e-initiative, allows visitors to search, view, download, and submit grant applications for over 900 grant opportunities that total over $360 billion. Grants are available for state and local governments, research institutions, non-profit organizations and other entities. Several potentially reentry related
9/20/2005: International Association of Reentry Holds Inaugural Summit
The inaugural summit of the International Association of Reentry (IAR), held March 13-16 in Columbus, Ohio, laid a foundation for future projects to advance knowledge and competency in the field of reentry. Over 480 people attended the conference and participated in plenary sessions exploring various aspects of reentry, as well as a range of action-oriented committees.
9/20/2005: CSG Convenes Forum on Federal Benefits
The Council of State Governments (CSG), coordinator of the Reentry Policy Council, in collaboration with the TAPA Center for Jail Diversion, recently convened a forum on ensuring prompt access to benefits for eligible individuals with mental illness who are released from prison. The forum, supported by the MacArthur Foundation, the Department of Justice, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), was attended by a select group of high-level state officials including directors of correction and mental health departments as well as representatives from SAMHSA, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), and the Social Security Administration (SSA).
A new policy brief from the National Governors Association's (NGA) Center for Best Practices outlines prisoner reentry issues and challenges facing the states and suggests strategies that governors and other policymakers can employ to initiate long-term improvements. The brief builds on the Report of the Re-Entry Policy Council and the work of NGA's Prisoner Reentry Policy Academy.
1/27/2006: Minnesota Bill would Define and Catalog Collateral Sanctions
A bill under consideration in the Minnesota state legislature would define collateral sanctions for individuals convicted of crimes and require the creation of table cataloging and cross-referencing such sanctions across existing state statutes. The bill has been introduced in both the House (H.F. 734) and Senate (S.F. 607). The bill is sponsored in the House by Representatives Doug Meslow, Tony Cornish, John Lesch, and Ron Latz; the Senate version is sponsored by Senator Leo T. Foley.
1/31/2006: Chittenden County (VT) Develops Cooperative Regional Reentry Housing Plan
Six municipalities in Chittenden County (VT) have endorsed a strategic and targeted response to address the housing needs of people returning to the county from jail and prison. The Housing Plan was developed by a Regional Advisory Group convened by the Burlington Housing Authority.
1/31/2006: Senate Leaders Introduce Second Chance Act of 2005
The Second Chance Act of 2005, federal legislation designed to promote safe and successful prisoner reentry, was introduced in the U.S. Senate on Friday, October 28. The bill, S1934, was introduced by Senate Judiciary Chair Arlen Specter (R-PA), along with Senators Joe Biden (D-DE), Sam Brownback (R-KS), and enjoys bipartisan support from additional co-sponsors, including Senators James Talent (R-MO), Mike DeWine (R-OH), Jon Corzine (D-NJ), Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Jon Kyl (R-AZ), Rick Santorum (R-PA), and Barack Obama (D-IL).