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
DateThe Council of State Governments Justice Center announced today the availability of an online version of the Repaying Debts report, a first-of-its-kind comprehensive guide that offers recommendations on how policymakers can increase financial accountability among people leaving correctional facilities, improve rates of child support collection and victim restitution, and make individuals’ transition from prisons and jails to the community safe and successful.
6/25/2008: Second Chance Act Slated to Receive $45 million in House bill, $20 million in Senate Bill
On June 25, the House Appropriations Committee completed the mark-up of the 2009 appropriations bill, which reserves $45 million for programs under the Second Chance Act. Last week the Senate Appropriations subcommittee reserved $20 million for Second Chance programs. Full Committee consideration in the Senate is scheduled for this week.
At the beginning of the 2008 legislative sessions, policymakers in Vermont and Rhode Island faced projected growth in their prison populations, spiraling corrections costs and high recidivism rates. Rather than allowing these trends to continue, state officials, with overwhelming bipartisan support, enacted legislation to increase public safety, avert spending on corrections, and reduce recidivism among people released from prison.
5/20/2008: Justice Center Seeks Four Law Enforcement Agencies to Serve as Reentry Learning Sites
The Council of State Governments Justice Center, in partnership with the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), has issued a request for applications from law enforcement agencies interested in participating in a Law Enforcement Reentry Learning Sites Initiative. This initiative will focus on the law enforcement response to the large numbers of individuals returning to the community from prison and jail each year, many of whom are re-arrested for a new crime or re-incarcerated for violating their conditions of release.
5/5/2008: "Corrections Today" Features Reentry, Justice Center Board Members
The April 2008 issue of the American Correctional Association magazine Corrections Today focuses on the benefits of multi-agency collaborations—with several articles promoting reentry partnerships in particular. In his commentary, Justin Jones, director of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections and a Justice Center board member, underscores the importance of truly collaborative efforts to any reentry initiative.
The Council of State Governments Justice Center convened a focus group meeting of officials from state departments of correction and representatives of community and faith-based organizations in April. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss a draft guide, which recommends strategies for increasing collaboration between state departments of corrections and community and faith-based organizations. The meeting was held in conjunction with a conference in Arlington, VA hosted by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, U.S. Department of Justice, for the 2007 grantees of the Presidential Prisoner Reentry Initiative.
On April 21, the Council of State Governments Justice Center convened a meeting of state agency officials, victim advocates, prosecutors, and national experts to discuss a draft policy guide, which reviews strategies for increasing public safety by ensuring that sex offenders released from prisons and jails have a place to live.
5/5/2008: Congressional Leaders Working on Funding of Second Chance Act
Now that the Second Chance Act has been signed into law, members of Congress are turning their attention toward ensuring that it receives funding in 2009 so that communities can begin to apply for the Second Chance reentry grants.
4/8/2008: President Bush to Sign Unprecedented Prisoner Reentry Legislation
The Council of State Governments Justice Center lauds President Bush for his signing of the Second Chance Act of 2007, scheduled for tomorrow.
3/25/2008: Employment Plays Crucial Role in Successful Reentry
Early findings from a recent federally funded research evaluation suggest that providing transitional work and supportive employment services to individuals shortly after their release from prison can significantly lessen the likelihood of subsequent convictions and reincarceration.
3/11/2008: U.S. Senate Passes Second Chance Act
The U.S. Senate passed today the Second Chance Act of 2007. This landmark bill provides critical resources designed to reduce recidivism and increase public safety.
2/6/2008: President's FY 2009 Budget Released
On February 4, 2008, President Bush unveiled his fiscal year 2009 budget proposal. The $3.1 trillion measure calls for $22.7 billion for the Department of Justice, including increased spending for border security and the Department's counterterrorism and intelligence capabilities.
1/22/2008: Justice Center Announces Upcoming Reentry Guide for State-Level Policymakers
The Council of State Governments Justice Center, with support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, is developing a Reentry Guide that will aid state-level policymakers in establishing, assessing, and improving statewide prisoner reentry plans.
1/22/2008: Recap of the Second Chance Act of 2007
Attempts to pass the Second Chance Act (H.R. 1593/S. 1060) in the Senate before the end of 2007 were unsuccessful, despite the strong support of Senators Joseph Biden (D-DE), Arlen Specter (R-PA), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Sam Brownback (R-KS) and 31 other cosponsors.
1/22/2008: States Examine Residency Restrictions for Individuals Convicted of Sex Crimes
In the past decade, more than 20 states and hundreds of municipalities across the nation have enacted laws restricting where sex offenders may reside. Most of these laws prohibit sex offenders from living within 500 to 2,500 feet of schools, childcare centers, playgrounds, and other places frequented by children.
12/20/2007: Congress Passes Omnibus Spending Resolution
On December 19, the U.S. Congress passed an Omnibus spending resolution that combines the 11 unfinished appropriations bills, including the Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Appropriations bill, into one catch-all measure.
12/20/2007: Second Chance Act Action in the Senate Postponed until 2008
Attempts to pass the Second Chance Act (H.R. 1593/S. 1060) in the Senate before the end of the year stalled yesterday despite the best efforts by bill sponsors.
12/18/2007: Second Chance Act Moves Closer to Passage
Monday evening the U.S. House of Representatives adopted a concurrent resolution that makes minor technical changes to the Second Chance Act of 2007 (H.R.1593), which passed the House on Nov. 13th with a 347-62 vote.
12/11/2007: Community Safety Through Effective Offender Reentry - A New Training Resource Available
The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) announces a training opportunity for state-level corrections agencies interested in enhancing their abilities to encourage successful offender reentry from prison to the community.
The Council of State Governments Justice Center recently released two new documents describing Texas and Kansas policymakers' recent bipartisan efforts to employ a data-driven "justice reinvestment" strategy to avert projected prison growth and increase public safety.