More than 1,700 people are released from jail every day. In the decade I spent as a probation and parole officer, I saw how important it is to their success. Overcoming recidivism can lead to relational healing, independence, and restored competence. This bleak choice comes at a heavy cost to families, society, taxpayers and – most devastatingly – victims of crime.
Second Chance Reauthorization Act of 2025 Provides people coming out of jail a way to move forward. By removing barriers to reintegration, Congress can help protect communities while maintaining human dignity and capacity.
It’s the government’s job to protect the public, and never-ending punishments don’t help leaders. Instead, targeted re-entry support promotes safety. The Second Chance Act passed in 2008 has helped more than 442,000 formerly incarcerated people are on track with re-entry services Such as job training, housing and addiction support. Without access to these resources, people are more likely to reoffend.
Repeat offending increases the workload of law enforcement. Reentry-support reduces the burden on police and parole officers, freeing them to focus on their primary roles. When I served in Louisiana, my workload was heavy. I strive to meet the complex needs of my customers. But whenever someone reoffended, I got bogged down in paperwork and had to spend time away from my office. As a result, I had less bandwidth to help clients who were making every effort to comply with the law.
About 95 percent of the people in jail will be released. The lack of support makes it difficult to avoid relapse, let alone move forward. The Bureau of Justice Statistics found that 82 percent people were released in 24 states in 2008 Was arrested again within 10 years.
Therefore, the best way to improve public safety is to change the reentry environment. Stigma adds to the factors that promote recidivism, but addressing the root issues and connecting people to resources provides them with an effective remission from their past.
Every person who completes his or her sentence should have the right to a responsible, productive life, free from lifelong collateral consequences. Second chances benefit everyone: People with criminal records face barriers to housing, meaning re-entry assistance combats homelessness. Children perform better when their parents can find good jobs, and employers with fair hiring practices often get loyal employees. And taxpayers are protected from the high costs of poor reintegration and reliance on taxpayer-funded benefits.
One of my clients, a woman with a long rap sheet, couldn’t find a job despite her best efforts. I helped her get into trucking school, but she couldn’t work without a background check. I sent a letter on her behalf, detailing everything she had done to turn her life around. Ultimately, he received certification allowing him to become a transportation worker. The wages he earned helped him leave a life of crime. The job gave him a sense of dignity. Ultimately, she can contribute to her family and society.
Passing the Second Chance Reauthorization Act makes practical sense; It is also a symbol of justice. What greater justice can we provide to crime victims than to not only hold those responsible accountable, but also transform them, so that no one else has to suffer the same fate? This is true justice: making it possible for people to become healthy again rather than forgiving them for the rest of their lives.
For faith communities, this is a clear biblical call. Micah 6:8 says that the good life is one where we “seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly.” We balance the needs of accountability and compassion, knowing that each of us may one day stand in the shoes of those coming home from prison. They deserve a process that works, but in my experience, the re-entry process often fails somewhere along the way. Upon release, many of my customers could not find the resources they needed. Passage of the Second Chance Reauthorization Act would make the reentry process fairer and more effective by strengthening support systems and keeping people out of prison who don’t need to be locked up.
The Second Chance Reauthorization Act is not a handout. This is not an extension of the government. It’s a solutions-oriented approach to what communities impacted by incarceration need now: mental health support, job training, family support, addiction recovery, and more. These services are performed by locally rooted, trusted organizations that specialize in addressing complex issues.
Crime affects us all. Reducing the likelihood that people coming home from incarceration will reoffend is a boon for their families, employers, taxpayers, law enforcement officials, and the public. By investing in our returning neighbors, we invest in America’s future and the safety of our roads.
Scott Payton is the Director of Government Affairs at Prison Fellowship, the nation’s largest Christian nonprofit that equips churches to serve currently and formerly incarcerated people and their families and is a leading advocate for justice and human dignity inside and outside prison.
