Story URL: http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/washington/news.aspx?id=89681
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Every year, people enter and leave jail an estimated 12 million times
Revolving door of justice
by
Amy Lanier Wolf
May 20, 2008
Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS), a co-sponsor of the Second Chance Act, talks to students at Georgetown University the day the law was signed by President Bush
Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL) sponsored the Second Chance Act and spoke about a man who reentered society with the support of his church
WASHINGTON -- Nine million people enter and leave U.S. jails each year, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics.
Many leave jail only to commit another offense and enter the jail system again. A law passed last month aims to help former inmates re-entering society.
The Second Chance Act promises to help boost existing re-entry programs and help create new ones.
"Providing them with some stability, structure, partnerships with different types of wraparound services" is the purpose of East of the River Clergy, Police, Community Partnership in D.C., said Milton Hopkins, the organization's housing coordinator.
The organization provides transitional housing with 24-hour supervision for 18 men. After six months, the men can move into independent housing, but continue to check in with counselors at the center.
Joseph Holland went to East of the River last November. Finding a job was frustrating, he said, but he never gave up.
"My motto was I’m going to use that energy I used [to do] wrong to stay on the right track," Holland said.
