New Report Shows States are Reducing Recidivism: Tell Congress Today!

New Report Shows States are Reducing Recidivism: Tell Congress Today! UPDATE The Council of State Governments Justice Center's National Reentry Resource Center recently released a policy brief highlighting a number of states reporting significant reductions in recidivism. The states profiled in the report show significant declines in their three-year recidivism rates based on data tracking individuals released from prison in 2005 and 2007.  Michigan's rate dropped by 18 percent, while Texas and Ohio reported reductions of 11 percent. In Kansas, the recidivism rate fell by 15 percent. The report provides the most recent recidivism data available for these states. Republican and Democratic leaders in Congress, the U.S. Department of Justice, and other cabinet agencies have been instrumental in creating a climate that has propelled the work of state and local governments in reducing recidivism. Most notably, the passage of the Second Chance Act, landmark legislation enacted in 2008 with overwhelming bipartisan support, has enabled state and local governments and their community-based partners to seed new reentry initiatives and expand existing efforts nationwide. WHAT YOU CAN DO It's important that we get the word out to Congress about the success states are having in reducing recidivism. Please contact your Member of Congress today and ask them to continue making prisoner reentry and recidivism reduction a priority. Use the sample letter included here to contact your Member of Congress today. To customize the letter with your own story about the importance of the Second Chance Act, please contact Jeff Burdette of the Council of State Governments Justice center at jburdette@csg.org. BACKGROUND The Second Chance Act passed with overwhelming bipartisan support and was signed into law in April 2008. It is a common-sense, evidence-based approach to improving outcomes for people returning to communities from prisons and jails. This first-of-its-kind legislation authorizes federal grants to government agencies and nonprofit organizations to provide substance abuse and mental health treatment, housing and employment assistance, family programming, education and literacy programs, mentoring, victims' support, and other services that can help reduce recidivism. Take Action Today!