Resolution In Support Of The Second Chance Act Exposed
The Resolution in Support of the Second Chance Act was adopted by ALEC's Criminal Justice Task Force on July 31, 2008, approved by the ALEC Board of Directors on September 11, 2008. According to ALEC.org, the Act was re-approved by the Board of Directors on January 9, 2014. (Accessed on 1/19/2016).
ALEC Resolution Text
WHEREAS, more and more people are being released from prison and jail in the US every year. Two million Americans are serving time in prison and ninety-seven percent of those people will be released. Nearly 650,000 people are released from prison each year, and over 7 million are released from jails, in the US; and
WHEREAS, the increasing numbers of people released from prison and jail has had significant implications for community safety and state and local government budgets. American taxpayers spent $9 billion for corrections in 1982; by 2002, the figure went up to $60 billion. And spending on corrections has been the fastest- or second-fastest growing item in state budgets over the last 15 years; and
WHEREAS, the goal of the Second Chance Act is to help states and communities alleviate crowding in their jails and prisons by reducing recidivism through an improved reentry process; and
WHEREAS, the legislation, signed into law by the President on April 9, 2008, provides grants to state and local governments that may be used to promote the safe and successful re-integration of individuals who have been incarcerated; and
WHEREAS, the legislation provides grants to nonprofit organizations that may be used for mentoring of adult offenders or providing transitional services for better reentry; and
WHEREAS, the legislation establishes a national resource center to collect and disseminate best practices and provide training and support to states and communities;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) supports the full funding of the provisions of the Second Chance Act, which will help state and local governments reduce recidivism, increase public safety, and respond better to the growing numbers of people released from prison and jail returning to the communities.
Adopted by the Criminal Justice Task Force on July 31, 2008.
Approved by the ALEC Board of Directors on September 11, 2008
