Audiences

Tools & Resources

Second Chance Act

Signed into law on April 9, 2008, the Second Chance Act (P.L. 110-199) was designed to improve outcomes for people returning to communities from prisons and jails. This first-of-its-kind legislation authorizes federal grants to government agencies and nonprofit organizations to provide employment assistance, substance abuse treatment, housing, family programming, mentoring, victims support, and other services that can help reduce recidivism.

2010 Second Chance Act Solicitations

  • Second Chance Act Program to Evaluate and Improve Educational Methods for Incarcerated Adults and Juveniles, U.S. Department of Justice

    • On April 26, 2010, the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), U.S. Department of Justice, released the Second Chance Act Program to Evaluate and Improve Educational Methods for Incarcerated Adults and Juveniles solicitation which will provide funding to a state, unit of local government, territory, "federally recognized Indian tribe," or other public or private entity to evaluate methods to improve academic and vocational education for incarcerated adults and juveniles, identify and make recommendations to the Department of Justice regarding best practices relating to academic and vocational education for incarcerated adults and juveniles, and to improve the academic and vocational education programs available to incarcerated adults and juveniles. APPLICATIONS WERE DUE ON JUNE 10, 2010.

  • Second Chance Act Technology Careers Training Demonstration Projects for Incarcerated Adults and Juveniles, U.S. Department of Justice
    • On April 26, 2010,the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), U.S. Department of Justice, released the Second Chance Act Technology Careers Training Demonstration Projects for Incarcerated Adults and Juveniles solicitation which will provide funding to states, unis of local government, territories, and "federally recognized Indian tribes" to establish programs to train individuals in prisons, jails, or juvenile residential facilities for technology-based jobs and careers during the three-year period before their release. APPLICATIONS WERE DUE ON JUNE 10, 2010.
  • Second Chance Act Reentry Demonstration Program: Targeting Offenders with Co-occurring Substance Abuse and Mental Health Disorders, U.S. Department of Justice

    • On April 19, 2010, the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), U.S. Department of Justice, released the solicitation for the Second Chance Act Reentry Demonstration Program: Targeting Offenders with Co-occurring Substance Abuse and Mental Health Disorders. Funding under this solicitation is available to help state and local government agencies and federally recognized Indian tribes establish or enhance residential substance abuse treatment programs in correctional facilities that include aftercare and recovery supportive services. APPLICATIONS WERE DUE ON JUNE 3, 2010.

  • Second Chance Act Family-Based Prisoner Substance Abuse Treatment Program, U.S. Department of Justice

    • On April 19, 2010, the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), U.S. Department of Justice, released the solicitation for the Second Chance Act Family-Based Prisoner Substance Abuse Treatment Program. Funding under this solicitation is available to help state and local government agencies and federally recognized Indian tribes establish or enhance residential substance abuse treatment programs in correctional facilities that include family supportive services. APPLICATIONS WERE DUE ON JUNE 3, 2010.

  • Second Chance Act Reentry Court Initiative FY 2010 Competitive Grant Announcement, U.S. Department of Justice

    • On April 14, 2010, the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), U.S. Department of Justice, released the solicitation for the BJA FY2010 Second Chance Act Reentry Court Initiative. Funding under this solicitation is available to help state and local government agencies and federally recognized Indian tribes establish state, local, and tribal reentry courts to monitor offenders and provide them with the treatment services necessary to establish a self-sustaining and law-abiding life. APPLICATIONS WERE DUE ON JUNE 3, 2010.

  • OJJDP FY 2010 Second Chance Act Juvenile Mentoring Initiative, U.S. Department of Justice
    • On March 11, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), U.S. Department of Justice, released the solicitation for the OJJDP FY10 Second Chance Act Juvenile Mentoring Initiative. Funding under this solicitation is available to help state and local government agencies, federally recognized Indian tribes, public universities and colleges, and nonprofit organizations provide mentoring and transitional services to juveniles returning from correctional facilities. APPLICATIONS WERE DUE ON APRIL 27, 2010.
  • Second Chance Act Mentoring Grants to Nonprofit Organizations FY 2010 Competitive Grant Announcement, U.S. Department of Justice
    • On January 19, 2010, the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), U.S. Department of Justice, released the solicitation for Second Chance Act mentoring grants to nonprofit organizations (Section 211). Funding under this section is available to help nonprofit organizations and federally recognized Indian tribes implement mentoring projects to promote the safe and successful reintegration into the community of adults who have been incarcerated. APPLICATIONS WERE DUE ON MARCH 18, 2010.
    • On February 5, 2010, the National Reentry Resource Center hosted a webinar for nonprofit organizations planning to apply for a Second Chance Act mentoring grant. To view a recorded version of the webinar click here. To download the PowerPoint presentation used in this webinar, click here.
    • For a brief fact sheet about the adult mentoring grant program, click here.
    • In 2009, the Annie E. Casey Foundation developed a toolkit for nonprofit organizations and Indian tribes interested in the adult mentoring grants. The toolkit includes an application checklist and guidance on how to complete an application.
  • Second Chance Act Adult and Juvenile Offender Reentry Demonstration Projects FY 2010 Competitive Grant Announcement, U.S. Department of Justice
    • On December 22, 2009, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) released a joint solicitation for Second Chance Act adult and juvenile reentry demonstration projects (Section 101). Funding under this section is available to help state and local agencies implement programs and strategies to reduce recidivism and ensure the safe and successful reentry of adults and juveniles released from prisons and jails back to the community. APPLICATIONS WERE DUE MARCH 4, 2010.
    • Second Chance Act Adult and Juvenile Offender Reentry Demonstration Grants FY 2010 Competitive Grant Announcement Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), U.S. Department of Justice
    • On January 14th, 2010, the National Reentry Resource Center hosted a webinar for state and local governments, and Indian tribes planning to apply for a Second Chance Act reentry demonstration grant. To view a recorded version of the webinar, click here. To download the PowerPoint presentation used in the webinar, click here.
    • For a brief fact sheet about the demonstration grant program, click here.
    • For an application checklist for the demonstration grant program, click here.

Key Resources

2009 Second Chance Grantees

In September 2009 the U.S. Department of Justice awarded over $28 million dollars to states, local governments and nonprofit organizations under the Second Chance Act. This initial round of Second Chance Act funding was divided across five programs: adult mentoring, adult demonstration, juvenile mentoring, juvenile demonstration, and the National Reentry Resource Center. The following chart breaks down funding by program type.

Grant Program Total Awards Granted Total Awards Funded
Adult Mentoring Grants 36 $10,000,000
Adult Demonstration Grants 15 $7,732,726
Juvenile Mentoring Grants 11 $4,707,524*
Juvenile Demonstration Grants 5 $3,660,172
National Reentry Resource Center 1 $2,200,000
Total 68 $28,300,422

* Congress appropriated $25 million for the Second Chance Act grant programs in fiscal year 2009, but the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention supplemented the available funds to provide grants for 11 juvenile mentoring programs.

  • To learn more about the Second Chance Act, click here.
  • To see the list of Adult Mentoring Grantees, click here.
  • To see the list of Adult Demonstration Grantees, click here.
  • To see the list of Juvenile Mentoring Grantees, click here.
  • To see the list of Juvenile Demonstration Grantees, click here.

Second Chance Act News Clips

Mercury News (CA) — San Mateo County program helps high-risk parolees return to society

8/12/10 — "As hard as it is to find a job right now, it's even harder if you're an addict and a parolee. Seventeen men and women considered high-risk parolees celebrated Thursday the 90-day and 180-day marks in their freedom from jail and prison, having so far successfully navigated a new federally funded county re-entry program called Achieve 180, named for what organizers hope will be a complete turnaround in the lives of the program's participants."

Washington Examiner (DC) — Howard Husock: Making Second Chance Act work for more former prisoners

7/28/10 — "Last week, the same day that the Senate Judiciary Committee began considering whether and how to extent the Second Chance Act -- designed to better the odds that the 700,000 prisoners released annually will not wind up back behind bars -- the Justice Department's inspector general released a pointed reminder about the limits of the program's good intentions."

Superior Telegram (WI) — New system to improve prisoner tracking

7/26/10 — "The Wisconsin Department of Corrections is adopting a new data processing system to track inmates from the day they enter prison through the completion of their probation or parole."

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (PA) — Program aims to prevent repeat offenders, cut jail populations

7/19/10 — "An Allegheny County Jail program being tested could save considerable money and help ex-inmates stay out of jail, said Allegheny County Warden Ramon Rustin. The 'second chance' federal grant screens nonviolent offenders and helps them find jobs sooner rather than stay behind bars. Unlike before, the former inmates get counseling and supervision for at least a year after being released."