As expected, President Bush last month signed into law the Second Chance Act, which authorizes $360 million for juvenile and adult offender re-entry programs.
The bipartisan group of lawmakers who supported the new law say the next challenge is to provide the appropriations to implement the activities it calls for, including substance abuse treatment, employment services, re-entry courts, research and strategic planning. The law creates grants for community-based organizations and local governments to carry out the services. (See “New Funds to Help Offenders Start Over,” April.)
