“Massachusetts has been a leader in this, really taking advantage of a groundswell across the nation of general support for good reentry (programming),” said Nicole Jarrett, director of the National Reentry Resource Center.
Second Chance Act Grant Program
The Second Chance Act (SCA) supports state, local, and tribal governments and nonprofit organizations in their work to reduce recidivism and improve outcomes for people returning from state and federal prisons, local jails, and juvenile facilities. Passed with bipartisan support and signed into law on April 9, 2008, SCA legislation authorizes federal grants for vital programs and systems reform aimed at improving the reentry process.
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) funds and administers the Second Chance Act grants. Within OJP, the Bureau of Justice Assistance awards SCA grants serving adults, and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention awards grants serving youth. Since 2009, more than 800 awards have been made to grantees across 49 states.
Second Chance Act Grant Programs
- Adult Reentry and Employment Programs
- Adults with Co-Occurring Substance Use and Mental Disorders
- Community-Based Mentoring and Transitional Services for Adults
- Family-Based Substance Use Treatment
- Implementing County and Statewide Plans to Improve Outcomes for Youth in the Juvenile Justice System
- Innovations in Reentry
- Innovations in Supervision
- Juvenile Community Supervision Improvement
- Mentoring and Transitional Services for Youth
- State, Local, and Tribal Reentry Courts
- Statewide Recidivism Reduction
- Swift, Certain, and Fair Initiative
- Two-Phase Juvenile Reentry Demonstration
FAQs
Who is eligible to apply for grants? Depending on the specific Second Chance Act grant program, state and local government agencies, federally recognized Indian tribes, and nonprofit organizations may be eligible to apply. Please review the pages on each grant program to determine eligibility.
When can I apply for grants? Solicitations for Second Chance Act applications are typically released throughout the first half of each calendar year. Please subscribe to updates from the National Reentry Resource Center to hear about these solicitations and other funding opportunities.
Is it allowable to assist persons reentering the community from federal prisons under a Second Chance Act program? Yes. Grantees receiving Second Chance Act funds may use those funds to provide assistance to individuals returning to the community following incarceration, including incarceration in a federal prison.
Is it allowable to assist exonerees under a Second Chance Act program? Yes. Grantees receiving Second Chance Act funds may use those funds to provide assistance to exonerees, along with other individuals returning to the community following incarceration
How can I find Second Chance Act programs near me? The National Criminal Justice Initiatives Map has information on where grantees of the Second Chance Act and other federal grant programs are located.
Second Chance Act Participant Spotlight: Sharon Hadley, Harris County, Texas
Second Chance Act in the News
11 States Report Reduction in Three-Year Recidivism Rates
States are showing a reduction in their three-year, return-to-prison rates, according to new data revealed by the Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center. “Reducing Recidivism: States Deliver Results,” an ongoing series by the CSG Justice Center, tracked data from 11 state corrections agencies to reveal significant multi-year declines in reincarceration rates since their peak years of recidivism.
Vermont’s Statewide Recidivism Reduction Strategy: Highlights and Progress
Following four principles of corrections system improvement—organizational development, use of risk and needs assessments, quality improvement, and data collection and management—states like Vermont participate in SRR in an effort to reduce the likelihood of recidivism for every person under correctional supervision.