I am pleased to let you know that The Second Chance Act of 2007 has been approved by both the House and the Senate and is pending signature by the President.  This legislation, which I was pleased to cosponsor, offers promise to law enforcement officials and communities across the nation.

The Second Chance Act of 2007 aims to reduce recidivism rates by improving the transition of offenders from prison back into the community.  As this bill reflects, preventing recidivism is not only the right thing to do, it makes our communities safer and it saves us money.

Currently, there are more than two million individuals incarcerated in Federal and State prisons, and eventually, 95 percent of those incarcerated will be released back into local communities.  About two-thirds of those released from state prisons will be rearrested for a felony or serious misdemeanor within three years of their release.  Reasons for this recidivism include addiction, unemployment and other causes.

The Second Chance Act of 2007 provides more than $300 million in federal funds to help local communities reduce recidivism.  A competitive grant program will provide funds to local jurisdictions to develop and implement comprehensive substance abuse treatment programs, academic and vocational education programs, housing and job counseling programs, and mentoring programs for offenders who are approaching release or who have been released.

The costs for incarcerating our prison population are enormous.  I believe that The Second Chance Act of 2007 is a small step in the right direction to both reduce those costs and make our communities safer.  I was pleased to support this legislation and look forward to seeing the positive benefits that come from it.

Sincerely,

Barbara Boxer
United States Senator