A Second Chance: The Impact of Unsuccessful Reentry and the Need for Reintegration Resources in Communities

Each year, between 700,000 and 800,000 people are released from incarceration into the community (Durose, Cooper, and Snyder 2014; Carson 2018). Their release serves as a second chance, an opportunity to repair damages caused by their entry into the criminal justice system. In April 2008, Congress passed the Second Chance Act (SCA), which “supports state, local, and tribal governments and nonprofit organizations in their work to reduce recidivism and improve outcomes for people returning from state and federal prisons, local jails, and juvenile facilities.” One of the SCA’s provisions designates April as National Second Chance Month: a time to focus on prevention, barriers to reentry, and social support of citizens before and after entering the criminal justice system. When discussing reentry, and second chances, it is important to discuss recidivism. The National Institute of Justice defines recidivism as “one of the most fundamental concepts in criminal justice. It refers to a person

Each year, between 700,000 and 800,000 people are released from incarceration into the community (Durose, Cooper, and Snyder 2014; Carson 2018). Their release serves as a second chance, an opportunity to repair damages caused by their entry into the criminal justice system. In April 2008, Congress passed the Second Chance Act (SCA), which “supports state, local, and tribal governments and nonprofit organizations in their work to reduce recidivism and improve outcomes for people returning from state and federal prisons, local jails, and juvenile facilities.” One of the SCA’s provisions designat