Did you know that 70,000 people will return from state prison to their New Jersey communities over the next 5 years? For more facts about reentry in New Jersey,
download the fact sheet
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Civil Consequences of
Criminal Convictions in New Jersey:
Fact Sheets
Individuals leaving prison in New Jersey face many legal barriers to successful reintegration. To learn about specific restrictions in various areas, click on the links below.
The New Jersey Institute
For Social Justice, Inc.
IN THIS ISSUE
-
Second Chance Act Reintroduced in House of Representatives>>
- Washington State Senate Passes Reentry Bill>>
- New Report on Reentry and Housing>>
- Conference on Legal Barriers to Reentry>>
- National Offender Workforce Development Conference>>
- New Jersey Update: Criminal Justice Forum at Rutgers-Newark>>
Second Chance Act Reintroduced in House of Representatives
Federal prisoner reentry legislation, the Second Chance Act of 2007, was reintroduced last week in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Danny Davis (D - IL) and Chris Cannon (R-UT). The bill, H.R. 1593, which has broad bipartisan support, will help states and communities better address challenges associated with reentry by authorizing grants to support state and local reentry initiatives focused on employment, housing, substance abuse and mental health treatment, and children and family services.
Click here for more information on the Second Chance Act
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Washington State Senate Passes Reentry Bill
On March 10, the Washington State Senate passed a bill that would require the state’s Department of Corrections to provide individual reentry plans for every incarcerated person. The proposed reentry plans would provide case management and service interventions in the areas of job training, drug treatment, education, and other related supports. The bill, which is expected to pass the House as well, would also provide a tax incentive for businesses that hire formerly incarcerated individuals and initiate a review of state laws that bar felons from state-licensed occupations unrelated to their offenses.
New Report on Reentry and Housing
The Urban Institute has released a new report, “The Housing Landscape for Returning Prisoners in the District,” which analyzes Washington D.C. neighborhoods that have high rates of returning prisoners and the types of housing and housing support services available in these neighborhoods. The study aims to 1) document the geographic concentrations of returning prisoners in the District of Columbia; 2) develop an assessment of housing and community-based capacity in District neighborhoods where prisoners are returning in large numbers; 3) explore the nature of housing-related reentry programming; and 4) draw attention to the larger policy issues of building supportive neighborhood environments for returning prisoners.
Conference on Legal Barriers to Reentry
On April 30 – May 1 in Chicago, the ABA Commission on Effective Criminal Sanctions will host a national conference, “Overcoming Legal Barriers to Reentry,” to discuss ways in which the legal system hinders successful reintegration of individuals with conviction records. The panelists will explore issues relating to employment of persons with criminal records, access to and use of criminal history information, and the politics of reentry. Prosecutors, defenders, judges, legislators, corrections officials, government officials, community advocates, and other critical stakeholders within the criminal justice community are invited to attend.
Click here for more information and registration details
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National Offender Workforce Development Conference
The 3rd Annual National Offender Workforce Development Conference will be held on April 2-5 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Workshop sessions will include “Building Effective Partnerships Between Government Agencies, Employers, Community and Faith-Based Organizations to Support Ex-Prisoners,” “What Is Drug Court?,” “Breaking the Cycle: Youth Inside and Outside the System,” “Transitional Jobs Strategies for Successful Reentry,” “Building Skills: Blending Transitional Jobs with Therapeutic Models & Business Interest,” “Civil Rights & Reintegration: Reentry Seen Through a Civil Rights Lens,” and others. Keynotes will be provided by Louis Gossett, Jr. and the Honorable Arthur Burnett, Sr. and the National H.I.R.E. Network will be honored.
Click here for more information and registration details
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NEW JERSEY UPDATE:
Criminal Justice Forum at Rutgers-Newark
The Joseph C. Cornwall Center for Metropolitan Studies will host a half-day forum on April 20, “Connecting Research to Practice: A Review of Rutgers University Research Related to Criminal Justice and Communities.” To be held on Rutgers’ Newark campus, the forum will explore a range of topics, including the effects of violence and crime on children; self-identity and stigmatization; family support among formerly incarcerated individuals; politics of a felony conviction; prison privatization; the intersection of imprisonment and child welfare; and, a brief overview of Cornwall’s women in prison study.
Click here for more information and registration details
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For more information about news or event sharing contact rgreenberg@njisj.org. To subscribe or unsubscribe to the New Jersey Reentry Digest, visit the subscription page.