Today, approximately 1 in 3 U.S. adults have a criminal record, and the stigma of that record often means a life sentence to poverty that causes collateral damage spanning generations. For system-impacted people, reentering their community after incarceration can be incredibly difficult when there are so many barriers that stem from having a record. Access to life essentials—such as employment, housing, education, and health care—is especially hard to come by when trying to successfully reenter society. These barriers are even more stark for people of color and other historically marginalized communities.
Second chance policies are an important opportunity to recognize these challenges and uplift the comprehensive policy solutions that will help to significantly reduce the collateral consequences of incarceration and a record for those who are ready to rebuild toward a brighter future. In many cities and states across the country, there is already growing bipartisan momentum for these reforms—such as “clean slate” automatic record-clearing and fair chance licensing—which have proven to reduce recidivism and allow individuals with criminal records to become productive members of society.
It is time to reimagine our criminal justice system, uplift reforms such as these, and give returning citizens an opportunity for rehabilitation, not only for themselves but also for their families and communities.
An attendee wears a pin that reads “I'm for second chances” before a Democratic presidential town hall at Eastern State Penitentiary on October 28, 2019 in Philadelphia.
(Getty/Mark Makela)
Rasheed’s story sheds light on the barriers that so many young adults face when returning to their communities and the opportunities that second chance policies give to young adults who are looking to enter the labor market.
St. Cyr's story illustrates the need for supportive reentry services for formerly incarcerated individuals who face barriers to accessing employment due to exclusionary policies.
Strengthening Access to Housing for People With Criminal Records Is Key to Successful Reentry
To facilitate the successful reentry of justice-involved citizens, the United States must bolster its federal, state, and local renter protections and build strong transitional housing programs.
Second Chance Policies Help Individuals Leaving Incarceration Build Financial Security
Second chance policies help returning citizens access education, workforce training, and other wraparound services to prepare for success in the labor market and build long-term financial stability.
Please join CAP and the Clean Slate Initiative for a virtual event on how clean slate policies make our communities safer by increasing employment and opportunities that reduce recidivism and crime.
How Colleges and Universities Can Bring Pell Grant-Funded Programs Back to Prisons
A new process from the U.S. Department of Education outlines how higher education institutions can receive approval to offer Pell Grant-funded programs to incarcerated students.
A Criminal Record Shouldn’t Be a Life Sentence to Poverty
Bipartisan momentum for clean slate and fair chance licensing policies—which remove barriers to economic opportunity for people facing the stigma of a criminal record—has grown significantly in the states in recent years.
Justice in Reentry for Formerly Incarcerated LGBTQ People and People Living With HIV
Broad reforms and targeted services are needed to reduce the harms of incarceration for LGBTQ people and people living with HIV as they reenter their communities.
3 Ways the Biden Administration Can Give Second Chances to Justice-Impacted College Students
The Biden administration should improve policies around admissions, financial aid, and housing to ensure that people with criminal records have fair opportunities to pursue a college education.
