Lessons Learned From the Second Chance Act: Moving Forward to Strengthen Offender Reentry

Signed into law in April 2008, the Second Chance Act (SCA) aims to enhance public safety by breaking the cycle of criminal recidivism and improving outcomes for people returning from prisons, jails and juvenile facilities. Under the SCA, the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) started funding offender reentry demonstration projects, and the National Institute of Justice was directed to evaluate the effectiveness of BJA's projects. NIJ has supported two rigorous, independent evaluations of SCA adult offender reentry demonstration projects. To learn about the findings, go to https://www.nij.gov/topics/corrections/reentry/Pages/lessons-learned-from-the-second-chance-act.aspx.