Landmark Second Chance Act of 2007

The Second Chance Act or H.R. 1593 to help the incarcerated transition back into society, deemed landmark legislation proposed by U. S. Congressman Danny K. Davis, was signed into law on April 9, 2008.

There are currently 2.2 million people serving time in our federal and state prisons, and millions of people cycling through local jails every year.

States and local government entities as well as nonprofit organizations will receive a portion of $165 Million annually in grants for employment services, substance abuse treatment, housing, family programming, mentoring, victims services, and methods to improve release and revocation decisions using risk-assessment tools. Mentoring adult offenders or offering transitional services for reintegration into the community, grants to improve the availability of drug treatment to offenders in prisons, jails and juvenile facilities.

A provision of the new law also authorizes grants to states, local governments, and Indian tribes to develop and implement family-based treatment programs for incarcerated parents who have minor children and authorizes the U.S. Justice Department's National Institute of Justice and the Bureau of Justice Statistics to conduct reentry-related research.

Other key provisions of the new law include grants to provide guidance to the Bureau of Prisons for enhanced reentry planning procedures.

Specific information on health, employment, personal finance, release requirements and community resources shall be provided to each inmate released. And establishment of a national resource center to collect and disseminate best practices and to provide training on and support for reentry efforts.