Federal Parole and Re-entry Legislation in the 110th U.S. Congress.
FedCURE is the world's leading
advocate for America's, ever growing, federal inmate population of over
200,000 people. We are working with members of Congress to
reinstate parole; increase good time allowances; provide for compassionate
releases; restore PELL grants; and opportunities for successful
reentry into the community, for all federal offenders; and promote a system
that incarcerates fewer people and provides humane conditions for those who are
incarcerated or under post-incarceration supervision via parole or supervised
release. Over 45,000 people were released from federal prison last
year.
FedCURE's
lifetime member and PBS film producer and Soros Justice Media Fellowship
candidate, Allan Mason and BNNreports.com (Broadcast
Network News ), are documenting FedCURE's activities for inclusion in the
production of a one-hour special news documentary film titled, The
CURE: America's Ailing Federal Criminal Justice System (suitable
for Frontline, NOW, or an independent special report for the Public Broadcasting
System and their affiliates). Perhaps we may be able to collaborate in
some manner.
The
film would examine the ailing federal criminal justice system in the United
States and the impact of two pieces of proposed federal legislation that would
reduce federal prisons sentences and provide for tax payer relief by enacting
smart legislation that would revive the system of parole for federal prisoners;
and reduce run-a-way recidivism rates by enacting smart legislation such as "The
Second Chance Act," reauthorizing the grant program of the Department of Justice
for re-entry of offenders into the community, to establish a task force on
Federal programs and activities relating to the re-entry of offenders into the
community, and for other purposes. See H.R. 3072, H.R. 1593 and S.
1060,
respectively. We are seeking partners and funding for this film
and to produce short VNR's for our upcoming legislative campaigns to
promote FedCURE's legislative initiatives.
Federal
Parole:
Congress
abandoned parole for all federal offenses committed after 01 November
1987. FedCURE co-authored the last two federal parole
bills
in the 108th and 109th Congress, with Rep. Danny Davis (D-ILL) seeking to revive
system of parole for all federal offenders. This year FedCURE drafted
a new federal parole bill for Rep. Davis and to float around to other members of
Congress who may want introduce the bill in this Congress. The bill is titled
as The Criminal Justice
Tax Relief Act of 2008 (CJTRA). The CJTRA would establish a hybrid system if parole for all federal offenders. CJTRA is estimated to
save the taxpayers 4 to 7 billion dollars annually and 80 to 140 billion dollars
over a twenty-year period. We are meeting with Rep. Davis, on 06 May 2008, in Washington, DC., to have him sign off and to sponsor
the CJTRA. Prior to being introduced to Congress, the bill must to go to the U.S. House Legislative Counsel.
The
CJTRA, would, inter alia:
Reinstate
the old parole statutes and make amendments thereto.
Make
all offenders eligible for parole.
Increase
good time allowances.
Give
jurisdiction to the United States Parole Commission to set release dates in
accordance with applicable parole
guidelines or the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, whichever is
lowest.
Provide
for reduction in term of imprisonment of elderly offenders.
Clarify
parole procedures.
Provide
post incarceration supervision.
Apply
prospectively and retroactively.
Extend
the life of the United States Parole Commission for twenty
years.
Federal Re-entry - The
Second Chance Act of 2007 - Public Law No: 110-199:
The
Second Chance Act of 2007 - was signed into law by President Bush on 09 April 2008.
The bill was introduced in the 110th Congress on 20
March 2007 as H.R. 1593. Just a week after the
re-introduction of the bill, 28 March 2007, members of the House Judiciary
Committee passed H.R. 1593 out of committee. During the
mark-up of the bill, members voted down several amendments that would have
jeopardized the bipartisan support for the bill. Sen. Bidden introduced S. 1060, an identical bill, in the Senate on 29 March
2007. On 02 August 2007 the Senate Judiciary Committee passed out the Second Chance Act.
Unanimously. The Second Chance Act passed in the Senate, late Tuesday night (11 March 2008)
and awaits the signature of President Bush before it can become law. The U.S. House of Representatives voted 347 to 62
to pass the Second Chance Act on 13 November 2007. The bipartisan bill was passed by voice vote, last night, after the
Senate adopted a concurrent resolution (H Con Res 270) that made minor changes to the Second Chance Act, including
limiting the federal share of project costs for some reentry programs.
FedCURE called on President George Bush to sign
the Second Chance Act in to law at his earliest convenience. During his State of the Union address in 2004, the president
coined "America is the land of second chance, and when the gates of the prison open, the path ahead should lead to a better life."
He announced a proposal that would make $300 million in grant money available over four years for prisoner reentry initiatives,
including those involving faith-based groups. The President is to be thanked for getting the ball rolling.
The President signed the Second Chance Act on 09 April 2008 at the White House as Public Law No: 110-199.
Gene Guerrero, Director of The Open Society Institute/Open Society
Policy Center (SOROS) is the lead lobbying effort behind this legislation.
Congratulations to Rep. Danny K. Davis, D-Ill.,
the lead sponsor of The Second Chance Act (H.R. 1593) and Joseph R. Biden, Jr., D-Del., the lead sponsor of a
companion Senate measure S.1060.
13 November 2007
Congratulations America! H.R. 1593 - The Second Chance
Act, Passes the U.S. House 347 to 62.
Congratulations, each and every one of
you, for your hard work and perserverieance in supporting H.R. 1593 -
The Second Chance Act. The Bill was passed by a roll call vote during the
evening House Session today, 13 November 2007, @ 7:14 PM-EST. The
vote was 347 YEA and 62 NAY. Onward to the great Senate!
America is the land of
second chance. What a wonderful opportunity this is for America to
become a model for all the world to follow. A world of second
chance. Jonathan Harsch of Kimmitt Senter Coates &
Weinfurter, Inc., reporting from DC on behalf of FedCURE, sums
it up best in his statement below:
Sent:
Tuesday, November 13, 2007 10:11 PM
"We are proud see
this truly bipartisan legislation pass the U.S. House of Representatives with
such strong support. H.R. 1593 is a bill that benefits all Americans because
it reinforces the fundamental fairness and moral foundation on which our
system of justice was built."
Jonathan Harsch, Kimmitt
Senter Coates & Weinfurter, Inc.
Also, please
find below a "Media Alert" and note of congratulations from the
office of Rep. Danny K. Davis (ILL), the author of the bill. Great job
Danny! That's why you get the big bucks.
Ps. We would
remind all that prisoner re-entry is among one of the President's
initiatives. The President, "We know from long experience that if they
can't find work, or a home, or help, they are much more likely to commit crime
and return to prison....Americaisthelandofsecondchance ... " This is truly a
bipartisan bill.
Thank You All:
Mark A. Varca, J.D., CIO &
Executive Dir., FedCURE
From the Office of
Congressman Danny K. Davis (ILL)
Sent: Tuesday, November
13, 2007 7:32 PM
Subject: MEDIA ALERT:
TOMORROW'S PRESS CONFERENCE
347 YEA AND 62
NAY
GOOD EVENING
EVERYONE,
ON THE BEHALF OF DANNY K. DAVIS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND
CONTINUED SUPPORT, IT PAID OFF!
Attached, please find the "Media
Alert" for tomorrow's press conference.
Helen Mitchell, MPA Director
of Strategic Planning & Policy Development Office of Congressman Danny
K. Davis 2159 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC
20515 Phone: (202) 225-5006 Fax: (202) 225-5641 www.house.gov/davis
The Second Chance Act of
2007 authorizes $192 million annually and would:
Reauthorizes
and makes improvements to existing State and local government offender reentry
program.The bill authorizes $50 million
annually for the Department of Justice, State and local grant program,
increasing authorization levels, incorporating best practices from the reentry
field, and requiring the measuring and reporting of performance
outcomes.
Authorizes new competitive grants for innovative
programs to reduce recidivism.The bill authorizes $130 million each
year in grants for State and local governments and public and private entities
to develop and implement comprehensive substance abuse treatment programs,
academic and vocational education programs, and housing and job counseling
programs, and mentoring for offenders who are approaching release and who have
been released.The bill requires
grantees to establish performance goals and benchmarks and report performance
outcomes to Congress.
Strengthens the Bureau of Prisons ability to provide
reentry services to federal prisoners.The bill
authorizes funds to improve federal offender reentry services and to establish
an elderly non-violent offender pilot program.
Authorizes grants
for research and best practices.The bill authorizes additional funds
for research on innovative drug treatment methods, causes of recidivism, and
methods to improve education and vocational training during incarceration and
for the development of best practices.
If
you are interested in working with FedCURE or collaborating in some manner and would like to discuss
this in more detail, please do not hesitate to contact us.
FedCURE provides this service to assist you by identifying your Congressperson in the U.S. House of Representatives and providing contact information. You can send an e-mail to your representative by typing or pasting your text message into the form once you arrive at the page.
To contact your Representative:
American Correctional Association
(Supports Federal Parole) Approved 8/16/2006:
