WHEREAS, more and more people are being released from prison and jail in the US every year. More than 1.2 million Americans are serving time in prison and at least ninety-five percent of those people will be released. Nearly 500,000 people are released from prison each year, and nearly 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 $19 billion for corrections in 1997; by 2017, the figure went up to $89 billion.  And spending on corrections has been the fastest- or second-fastest growing item in state and local budgets over the last 40 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 President Bush 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 [insert state here] 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.

Approved by ALEC Board of Directors on September 11, 2008.

Re-Approved by the ALEC Board of Directors January 9, 2014.

Re-Approved by the ALEC Board of Directors December 22, 2023.