WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Sam Brownback today applauded passage into law of the Second Chance Act, legislation which seeks to combat the high rate of prisoner recidivism.

"Today I was pleased to be at the White House to join President Bush at the official bill signing ceremony for the Second Chance Act," said Brownback. "For over three years, my congressional colleagues and I have worked on the Second Chance Act, a bill which will bring much needed reentry resources to help give those in our prison system a second chance. Through substance abuse programs, education and job training programs, those incarcerated will be given a second chance to be productive citizens, and hopefully avoid the all too common cycle of returning to prison. Perhaps most importantly, prisoners will be given a second chance to reconnect with their families through family-based treatment and mentoring programs." Last month, the Senate passed the Second Chance Act, which had been passed by the House in 2007. The Second Chance Act creates grant programs for state and local governments to be used for reentry programs such as job-training, literacy programs and substance abuse programs. The legislation also includes provisions for grant allocation to non-profit organizations for mentoring programs to aid inmates and their families, with special focus on the children of incarcerated individuals.

Brownback continued, "I am proud that Kansas remains a national leader in reentry programs, and was pleased that Kansas State Representative Pat Colloton was able to attend today's White House ceremony. From 2003 to 2007, Kansas reduced their monthly recidivism rate by 44 percent. Kansas has set a great example for the rest of the nation."

Currently, nearly two-thirds of the 600,000 individuals released from prison will be re-arrested. In 1982, American taxpayers spent approximately $9 billion on corrections. In 2002, that number increased to $60 billion.