U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

National Institute of Justice

What is NIJ’s role?

Under the SCA, the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) started funding 

offender reentry demonstration projects, and the National Institute of 

Justice (NIJ) was directed to evaluate the effectiveness of BJA’s projects. 

Since the passage of this important legislation and in collaboration with 

BJA, NIJ has supported two rigorous, independent evaluations of SCA 

adult offender reentry demonstration projects.

What did we learn?

The two NIJ-supported evaluations, led by Social Policy Research 

Associates and RTI International, produced similar results. In general, and 

with a few exceptions, participation in an SCA program did not affect a 

range of reentry outcomes, for example, substance use and compliance 

with supervision. Participation in an SCA program did, however, increase 

access to and receipt of reentry services and programs for participants 

and improve partnerships with community agencies.

Importantly, participation in SCA programming did not significantly reduce 

the likelihood of recidivism.1

What does this all mean? 

The provision of reentry programming, specifically SCA programs and 

services, remains a work in progress. Offender behavior and the reentry 

process are complex. Just as no two individuals are alike, neither are 

their needs. 

The two NIJ-supported evaluations of SCA projects offer a snapshot 

into the real-world challenges of providing services and programs to 

individuals returning to the community after incarceration. The SCA 

addresses these challenges by allowing sites to tailor their programs and 

services to the needs of participants in their local communities. 

This diversity among programs may be valuable for observing what’s 

working and what needs improvement, but it can also significantly 

complicate the evaluation process. Additionally, the NIJ-supported studies 

assess only the first subsample of adult offender reentry demonstration 

projects selected by BJA for SCA funding (14 sites).2

 Future evaluations 

with access to more data over a longer period of time may provide a clearer 

picture of the strengths and weaknesses of these efforts.

Where do we go from here?

Offender reentry remains at the forefront of empirical research and policy 

discussions. As the research, development, and evaluation agency of the Justice 

Department, NIJ will continue to support rigorous evaluations of promising 

reentry programs. Moving forward, the field of criminal justice should:

• Focus on reducing recidivism and setting realistic goals and 

expectations about successful reentry.

• Embrace and support innovative and data-driven approaches to offender 

reentry that will lay the foundation for change in the justice system. 

• Continue to engage in and support rigorous evaluations of reentry 

programs that show promise in order to better understand what 

works and who is most likely to reenter successfully. 

• Recognize the importance of reentry programming and policies in 

shaping long-term outcomes (i.e., desistance) and how this links to 

public safety and overall reductions in criminal behavior. 

Signed into law in April 2008, the Second Chance Act (SCA) aims to enhance public safety by breaking the cycle of criminal 

recidivism and improving outcomes for people returning from prisons, jails, and juvenile facilities. The SCA authorizes the 

awarding of federal grants to government agencies and nonprofit organizations to provide reentry services and programs, 

including employment and housing assistance, victim support, and substance abuse treatment. Additionally, SCA funds may 

be used to support general criminal justice system improvements.

Lessons Learned from the Second Chance Act: 

Moving Forward to Strengthen Offender Reentry

1

 As referenced here, key recidivism measures include rearrest, reincarceration, and reconviction. 

2

 Since 2009, BJA has made iterative changes to the SCA reentry demonstration program.

About The Evaluations

This information sheet is based on two grant reports: Evaluation of Seven Second Chance Act Adult Demonstration Programs: Impact Findings at 30 Months (Social 

Policy Research Associates, 2010-RY-BX-0003) and Cross-Site Evaluation of the Bureau of Justice Assistance FY 2011 Second Chance Act Adult Offender Reentry 

Demonstration Projects (RTI International, 2012-RY-BX-0001).

June 2018

NCJ 251704