Second Chance Act

From Drug Rehab Wiki

First enacted in 2008 and fully funded by December 2009, the “Second Chance Act” provides substance abuse treatment, counseling, employment assistance, housing assistance, family programming, and community resources to recovering ex-offenders to help them successfully reenter society and reduce recidivism. In its nascent years, Second Chance drug education in prisoner reentry programs has quickly shown positive results for its participating offenders. For its first fiscal year in 2009, the U.S. Department of Justice authorized just $25 million in federal grants to nonprofit organizations and state and local government agencies that run the Second Chance reentry program. In fiscal year 2010, only $13 million was allotted to reentry substance abuse and criminal justice programming, and $7.5 million to family-oriented substance abuse treatment out of the $100 million Second Chance Act. For the 2011 fiscal year, President Obama has again proposed $100 million for the Second Chance act grant program that has shared bipartisan support in Congress.

The cyclical nature of substance abuse has become more prevalent among adults and juveniles entering the justice system. A large portion of the current criminal offender population either was abusing substances prior to their arrest or actually committed their crimes while under the influence of an illicit substance. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, 53 percent of state inmates were abusing substances in the year prior to their prison admission, and 32 percent admit to having committed their offense while under the influence. What is most significant about these statistics is that the majority of the offenders are parents. In 2007, 52 percent of state inmates were parents, leaving an estimated 1.7 million minor children separated from a parent. Over the past decade, the number of incarcerated parents and their separated children has increased dramatically; the number of children with an incarcerated mother increased by 131 percent, and the number of children with an incarcerated father increased by 77 percent. Among current state inmates, 63 percent of females and 59 percent of males incarcerated for drug-related offenses are parents. After being convicted for drug-related offenses, many of these drug-dependent individuals continue their substance abuse while incarcerated. Once released, these ex-offenders struggle to locate steady employment and function in their society. Sadly, many ex-offenders with drug addictions become homeless because of their inability to become employed due to their rap sheets. If not offered useful employment, some drug criminals resort back to their criminal activity, such as drug dealing, to make a steady income once again. This activity generally lands them back in jail, where the cycle only continues.

This vicious cycle does not just affect the drug-abusing criminal—in fact, it affects everyone. The children of these offenders face multiple psychological, behavioral, and developmental problems as they are forced to grow up without a parent. Children can be juggled around among available family members or the foster care system. Families are stricken by financial burdens while coping with behavioral or mental health issues. In the state of California, it costs tax payers approximately $25,000 per year for each offender behind bars. If offenders with drug addictions or dependencies are not given proper treatment and rehabilitation, they wind up back in prison, and the tax payers again cover the bill to keep them incarcerated. Local and state economies do not benefit from the lack in the business and labor forces, and more money is needed for law enforcement and correctional facilities. According to Columbia University’s National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, $467.7 billion is spent annually by local, state, and federal governments for substance abuse-related criminal activity, including police staff, criminal investigation, incarceration, foster care, and health care. Only 1.9% of this amount ($7.2 billion) is spent on prevention and treatment programming. Under the Obama Administration proposed drug policy for fiscal year 2011, only $5.6 billion will be spent on drug prevention and treatment programs. President Obama has expressed his desire to provide more funding for these successful programs, which can hopefully be attained at local and state levels throughout the extent of his presidential term.

One out of three ex-offenders will be reconvicted of a crime within three years of their previous release. Statistically, rehabilitation and treatment programs have proven to be the most effective in treating substance abuse and mental health issues, and are the most cost-effective solutions to the revolving-door problem at jails and prisons. Many prisons across the country have adopted the Second Chance reentry program to rehabilitate substance abusing prisoners, equip them with social skills, and prepare them to reenter their communities and continue their abstinence. By achieving this goal, recidivism is reduced and further health care and economic woes are alleviated. The Second Chance program that treats multiple inmates actually costs less than what is required to keep a single prisoner incarcerated. At New York’s Rikers Island correctional facility, for example, the prison population has been reduced by 50 percent in four years thanks to the incorporation of educational and mental health and substance abuse treatment programs for offenders.

The Second Chance program is aimed at severing the root of the addiction cycle: prisoners with addictions are educated about the psychological and physiological aspects of substance dependence. Counseling for these prisoners includes helping them identify the causes of their addictions and develop strategies for prevention. To qualify for the program, prisoners must have a history of substance abuse and a desire to overcome their addiction. Participation is voluntary, and services usually run 90 days for inmates who are nearing the end of their sentence. After their release, participants are connected with community resources including counseling services, group therapy, housing assistance, and employment services to help them remain abstinent. By avoiding recidivism, these ex-offenders can restore their lives, reconnect with their families, and successfully rejoin their societies.