April is Second Chance Month
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), 1 in 3 or 77 million Americans have been convicted of a felony. In 2015, the Brennan Center for Justice reported that the United States housed nearly the same number of people with criminal records as those with four-year college degrees. Following reentry, formerly incarcerated individuals are often met with obstacles that make it challenging for them to find housing and work.
“In 2014, employment barriers faced by people with felony convictions — including occupational licensing and other challenges, such as lower levels of education and job skills — were associated with a reduction in the overall employment rate, amounting to a loss of at least 1.7 million workers from the workforce and a cost of at least $78 billion to the economy.” -NCSL
Numerous initiatives have been implemented to break down these barriers and create positive outcomes, including the 2008 Second Chance Act, which established the National Reentry Resource Center. The United States Department of Justice and other state and federal partners also set up the Clean Slate Clearinghouse to assist with clearing criminal records.
An organization called the Prison Fellowship pushed for a bi-partisan Congressional resolution declaring April as Second Chance Month. In 2017, the United States Senate unanimously passed the measure. In 2018, President Trump signed into law The First Step Act, and issued the first Presidential proclamation recognizing Second Chance Month. Locally, Washington State’s New Hope Act went into effect in July 2019, after it passed unanimously in the state legislature.
Libraries have also played a role in assisting with reentry. In 2017, the Washington State Library and Spokane Public Library formed a partnership to issue a library card to inmates who move to Spokane following release from Washington State prisons. The Seattle Public Library set up a reentry resource page on their website, connecting people to job and educational opportunities and legal help.
Collateral Consequences of Criminal Conviction : Law, Policy and Practice by Margaret Colgate Love is an excellent resource for researching the sanctions and restrictions convicted felons experience in the United States. Our library has the title in print and through our “behind the desk” Westlaw subscription. The library reference staff is happy to help you find other resources for reentry into the community. Here is a list of additional online resources:
Washington State Department of Corrections Community Reentry resources
Washington Statewide Reentry Council
The Council of State Governments Justice Center
National Inventory of Collateral Consequences of Conviction (LE)
