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SECOND CHANCE ACT LETTER

April 13, 2007

Dear Representative:

FIGHT CRIME: INVEST IN KIDS is a national anti-crime organization of more than 3,000 police chiefs, sheriffs, district attorneys, and victims of violence who have come together to take a hard-nosed look at the research about what really works to keep kids from becoming criminals. The law enforcement leaders of FIGHT CRIME: INVEST IN KIDS know from the front lines - and the research - that these investments are critical to our nation's public safety. That is why we have endorsed the bi-partisan Second Chance Act of 2007 (H.R. 1593), sponsored by Representative Cannon and others in the House. This bill will assist in the fight against crime by helping states employ effective, researched-based reentry approaches, both before and after release, which will reduce recidivism and make our communities safer. We urge you to join your colleagues in supporting and cosponsoring this important legislation.

Effective offender reentry efforts are particularly important with juveniles. In recent years, there have been approximately 100,000 juveniles in custody nationwide. The vast majority of these troubled youths will be released back into the community, with their expected "prime crime years" ahead of them and facing likely recidivism rates of 55-75%. Fortunately, the likelihood that young people will successfully transition back into society after confinement improves markedly with comprehensive, research-based reentry efforts.

The Second Chance Act will support effective offender reentry efforts, including programs like Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care (MTFC), which has a strong reentry component. MTFC provides services to youth offenders and their families when serious delinquent behavior occurs and a youth must be placed outside the home. MTFC provides specially trained foster parents and ongoing supervision by a program case manager, as well as frequent contact and coordination of services with a youth's parole or probation office, teachers, work supervisors and other involved adults during and after a youth's out of home placement. Compared to juveniles in residential group homes, youth in MTFC averaged half as many repeat arrests and spent 59% fewer days incarcerated. MTFC not only reduces crime, it saves money. MTFC saves taxpayers and crime victims roughly $78,000 per juvenile treated.

We all want safer communities, and the Second Chance Act of 2007 is a step toward reducing the high recidivism rate among juvenile and adult offenders. The legislation authorizes assistance to states and localities to develop and implement strategic plans for comprehensive efforts to enable ex-offenders to successfully reenter their communities such as: family reunification, job training, education, housing, substance abuse and mental health services. The bill would also provide for research on reentry, as well as create a national resource center to collect and disseminate information on best practices in offender reentry. The Second Chance Act of 2007 will help states and localities more effectively address offender reentry and make us all safer. We urge you to support and cosponsor this important legislation.

Sincerely,

David S. Kass
President

Miriam A. Rollin
Vice President