Pew Report Provides State-By-State Recidivism Data April 13, 2011
Posted by FairSentencing in : Current News , add a commentFour in 10 people return to state prison within three years of their release, according to a new study released today by the Pew Center on the States. State of Recidivism: The Revolving Door of America’s Prisons is the first-ever national survey on the rate of people returning to prison that provides state-by-state data.
The report, which looks at data from 1999 and 2004, updates the last national study of recidivism rates, conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics and based on data from 1994. Pew found that the national recidivism rate remained nearly constant between the survey periods, though within many states there was a dramatic difference in recidivism rates over time.
Because each state is unique and their policies vary widely, the authors caution not to compare one state to another. This said, the report is clear that when states take action to reduce recidivism, they can see significant improvements.
Congress has shown its commitment to support states taking steps to reduce recidivism by providing critical reentry funding through the Second Chance Act. This first-of-its-kind federal legislation promotes the efforts of government and nonprofit agencies as they work to make communities safer. The Second Chance Act also created the National Reentry Resource Center (NRRC) to support states’ reentry efforts. The Association of State Correctional Administrators, one of the organizations behind the NRRC, collaborated with Pew on the report.
For more information about this important new report, click here.
Commission Keeps Us Waiting April 8, 2011
Posted by FairSentencing in : Current News , add a commentWe asked for your help once again and you delivered! More than 15,000 of you responded to our call to “swamp the Sentencing Commission” with comments about the proposed new crack amendments to the guidelines.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Sentencing Commission voted to make those changes to the crack cocaine sentencing guidelines permanent – find the details of their actions here – but put off deciding whether to make the changes retroactive. We expect the Commission to have a hearing on retroactivity this June. The Commission also did not vote to reduce penalties for all drugs. We do not know when or if the Commission will take the issue up again.
We want to make sure the Commission knows crack retroactivity is a matter of basic fairness. So we will need your help again. They haven’t asked for comments yet, but you can be sure we will let you know the moment that they do.
So please stay tuned and watch for another call to action soon. We will be certain to give you as much time as possible to share your thoughts with the Commission.
Thanks again for your impressive response to the Commission about crack retroactivity, and for all you do for sentencing justice!
Webinar-Incorporating Risk, Need, & Responsivity In Screening and Assessment April 5, 2011
Posted by FairSentencing in : Current News , add a commentAs part of its Second Tuesdays at 2 webinar series, the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s National Training and Technical Assistance Center is hosting a webinar on how the three principles of risk reduction, need, and responsivity can be used to improve outcomes for individuals returning from prison and jail. Participants will learn how effective use of these principles can help a reentry program decide whom their intervention should target and how to tailor services and supports on the specific risks and needs of an individual. This webinar will be presented by Le’Ann Duran, project director of the National Reentry Resource Center.
Date: Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Time: 2:00—3:00 p.m. EST
To register for this webinar, click here.
Sign Letter to Support Second Chance Act Funding April 2, 2011
Posted by FairSentencing in : Current News , add a commentThe CSG Justice Center recognizes the importance of continued funding for the Second Chance Act for Fiscal Year 2012, which begins October 1, 2011. Fiscal concerns may cause the federal government to cut spending, with the aim of bringing domestic spending back to 2008 levels.
To show lawmakers how important this program is, your organization is invited to sign this letter asking Congress to fund the Second Chance Act.
If interested, please e-mail Jay Nelson at jnelson@csg.org. Signatures will be collected for the letter through the end of April. You are also encouraged to share this opportunity with members of your professional network.
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