With 2.3 million people in prison, the United States has the highest reported incarceration rate in the world and faces enormous problems of offender reentry and recidivism. The number of former offenders reentering their communities from state and federal prisons increased fourfold in the past two decades.  On average, two out of three released prisoners will be rearrested and one in two will return to prison within three years of release.

To help address the issue of our nation’s growing prison population, I cosponsored the Second Chance Act, which seeks to make communities safer by providing the resources necessary to reduce recidivism rates. The Second Chance Act was signed into law on April 9, 2008.  

The Second Chance Act offers job training, drug treatment, and other re-entry programs to help former offenders stay off the streets and out of prison. This law is an important step in addressing the factors that contribute to recidivism and provides important community resources to combat this problem.

We must address the widespread costs of America’s high incarceration and recidivism rates. I am committed to continuing a national dialogue on these issues and working toward meaningful and workable solutions.