Title: Expressing support for the designation of the month of April 2019 as Second Chance Month.
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement

Summary:
This resolution supports the designation of Second Chance Month to promote awareness of unnecessary legal and social barriers that prevent an individual with a criminal record from becoming a productive member of society.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 210 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 210

 Expressing support for the designation of the month of April 2019 as 
                          Second Chance Month.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 11, 2019

   Mr. Cardenas (for himself and Mr. Walker) submitted the following 
    resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing support for the designation of the month of April 2019 as 
                          Second Chance Month.

Whereas every person is endowed with human dignity and value;
Whereas redemption and second chances are American values;
Whereas millions of United States citizens have a criminal record;
Whereas hundreds of thousands of individuals return to their community from 
        Federal and State prisons every year;
Whereas returning neighbors have paid their debt after committing a crime but 
        still face significant legal and societal barriers (referred to in this 
        preamble as ``collateral consequences'');
Whereas collateral consequences are mandatory and take effect automatically, 
        regardless of--

    (1) a nexus to public safety;

    (2) the seriousness of the offense;

    (3) the time passed since the offense; or

    (4) the efforts of the individual to make amends or earn back the trust 
of the public;

Whereas gaining meaningful employment is one of the most significant predictors 
        of successful reentry and reducing future criminal activity;
Whereas many individuals who have previously been incarcerated struggle to find 
        employment because of collateral consequences which are often not 
        directly related to the offense committed or any proven public safety 
        benefit;
Whereas many States have laws which prohibit an individual with a criminal 
        record from working in certain industries or obtaining professional 
        licenses;
Whereas education has also been shown to be a significant predictor of 
        successful reentry;
Whereas an individual with a criminal record often has a lower level of 
        educational attainment than the general population and has significant 
        difficulty acquiring admission to and funding for educational programs;
Whereas an individual convicted of certain crimes is often barred from receiving 
        the financial aid necessary to acquire additional skills and knowledge;
Whereas an individual with a criminal record also faces collateral consequences 
        in securing a place to live;
Whereas an individual with a criminal record is often barred from seeking access 
        to public housing;
Whereas an individual with a criminal record also often face other collateral 
        consequences, such as an inability to regain voting rights, volunteer in 
        the community, and secure identification documentation;
Whereas an individual with a criminal record may incur significant debt as a 
        result of the conviction and incarceration of the individual;
Whereas collateral consequences prevent millions of individuals in the United 
        States from contributing fully to their families and communities;
Whereas collateral consequences can contribute to recidivism, which increases 
        crime and victimization and decreases public safety;
Whereas the inability to find gainful employment and other collateral 
        consequences of conviction inhibit the economic mobility of an 
        individual with a criminal record, which can negatively impact the well-
        being of the children and families of the individual for generations;
Whereas, on December 21, 2018, the bipartisan First Step Act was signed into law 
        to increase opportunities for people incarcerated in Federal prison to 
        participate in meaningful recidivism reduction programs and prepare for 
        their second chances;
Whereas the Second Chance Act of 2007, which has provided reentry services to 
        over 164,000 people in 49 States and the District of Columbia since its 
        passage, was reauthorized through the First Step Act of 2018;
Whereas the anniversary of the death of Charles Colson, who used his second 
        chance following his incarceration for a Watergate-related crime to 
        found Prison Fellowship, the Nation's largest outreach to prisoners, 
        former prisoners, and their families, falls on April 21; and
Whereas the designation of April as ``Second Chance Month'' can contribute to 
        increased public awareness about the impact of collateral consequences, 
        the need for closure for those who have paid their debt, and 
        opportunities for individuals, employers, congregations, and communities 
        to extend second chances: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the designation of Second Chance Month;
            (2) honors the work of communities, governmental 
        institutions, nonprofits organizations, congregations, 
        employers, and individuals to remove unnecessary legal and 
        societal barriers that prevent an individual with a criminal 
        record from becoming productive members of society; and
            (3) calls upon the people of the United States to observe 
        Second Chance Month through actions and programs that promote 
        awareness of those unnecessary legal and social barriers and 
        provide closure for individuals with a criminal record who have 
        paid their debt.
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