Washington, DC
United States
~ Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Thank you, Karol [Mason], for that kind introduction and for
your outstanding leadership as Assistant Attorney General for the Office of
Justice Programs. I also want to thank
Valerie Jarrett for her tireless work on so many important issues relating to
criminal justice reform. It’s a pleasure
to be here today and it’s a privilege to join such a distinguished group of
inspiring leaders, passionate advocates and eminent experts for this important
convening about how we can continue working together to reduce recidivism,
improve reentry outcomes and help every American exiting prison and jail lead a
meaningful and productive life.
This conversation is taking place at a particularly
significant time. Over the last few
years, we have gained a deeper understanding of how a variety of factors can
undermine basic equality and distort the arc of justice. As a result, Americans from a range of
backgrounds and beliefs have come to agree that our criminal justice system can
and must be made more efficient, more effective and more fair. And thanks in no small part to the efforts of
people like you, we have arrived at a critical moment of consensus around the
urgency of ensuring that each component of our justice system – from bail to
fines and fees; from policing to indigent defense; and from sentencing
guidelines to incarceration – is more closely aligned with our fundamental
belief in opportunity and justice for all.
A vital part of that task is examining what happens to our
fellow Americans when they exit the justice system. With our criminal justice system impacting
one in four Americans in some way, the sheer human capital represented by that
number is too important to our future to be written off and thrown away. Their families cannot afford to lose their
influence. Their communities cannot
afford to lose their contributions. And
we cannot afford to lose their potential.
But what happens when our fellow Americans finish paying their debt to
society and return home, pockets empty?
Do they have opportunities to further their education? Can they find jobs that allow them to grow
and succeed? Can they access mentoring
programs and counseling services? Do
they have what they need to stay on the right path? Do they have, in fact, a second chance? These are crucial questions with profound
implications, not only for the individuals returning to society, but for every
American in every community. If we let
the cycle of incarceration and recidivism continue, too many Americans will be
denied the chance to fulfill their potential and contribute their skills and talents
to their communities. If we allow those
who have done their time to be further punished upon release by collateral
consequences brought on by prejudice and neglect, too many of our neighborhoods
will continue to struggle under the burden of division and mistrust. And if we don’t prepare incarcerated
individuals to re-enter society, public safety is harmed; taxpayer dollars are
wasted; and we as a country will fall short of our promise.
That’s why the work you do is so important. Whether you conduct job training for
individuals looking for their next step, or counsel those grappling with
addiction or mental illness, you make it clear to reentering Americans that
they are not alone. You walk alongside
them as they navigate the difficult path forward. And you give them the tools and help them
hone the skills they need to make the most of their second chance. Your work is having a broader impact, too –
because of your successes, a growing number of states and municipalities
throughout the U.S. are implementing evidence-based programs to help reduce
recidivism; improve the prospects of the formerly incarcerated; and create
stronger, safer, and more prosperous communities for all.
The Department of Justice is committed to doing our part to
advance that mission. Since Congress
passed the Second Chance Act in 2007, our Office of Justice Programs has made
nearly 750 Second Chance Act grants totaling more than $400 million – including
$53 million in FY 2015 to 45 jurisdictions.
With the help of these funds, our grantees have offered critical
assistance to populations at moderate and high risk of recidivism. They have introduced comprehensive reentry
programs for justice-involved youth; helped people with diagnosed mental
illnesses find stable housing and avoid rearrest; offered college credit to
incarcerated individuals; and established a variety of metrics for tracking
progress so that we know what works.
These are just a few examples of the initiatives that you and your
partners have launched in 49 states with SCA funding and we at the Justice
Department could not be more proud to support your work.
In addition to our partnerships with you, we are working
with a number of cabinet-level agencies through the Federal Interagency Reentry
Council. This unique body, which I am
proud to chair, is designed to reduce federal barriers to reentry and promote
innovative approaches to reintegration.
For instance, under the council’s auspices, we’ve launched a pilot
program with the Department of Education that makes some inmates eligible for
federal Pell grants, opening doors through postsecondary education or training. We’ve joined the Department of Housing and
Urban Development to explore ways to address homelessness among the
justice-involved publication. And in the
coming weeks, the Departments of Justice and Labor will establish a National
Clean Slate Clearinghouse to provide local jurisdictions technical assistance
with record-cleaning and expungement – an appropriate follow-up to President
Obama’s recent announcement that federal employers would “ban the box” and no
longer ask applicants about their criminal histories at the initial hiring
stage.
The scope and pace of these efforts is a reminder of the
real and remarkable progress that the United States has made in helping
incarcerated citizens succeed after prison.
But though we have made an encouraging start, as you know, our work is
far from finished. At this critical
juncture – this moment of rare bipartisan agreement – it is more important than
ever that we harness this momentum and continue to push forward, so that every
American returning from prison can find dignified work and adequate shelter; so
that they can receive fair treatment and full opportunity; so that they return
to a society that values them as fellow citizens; so that they can, in fact,
truly return home.
I have no illusions that the road ahead will be easy. But with the help of extraordinary partners
like all of you here today, I am not only hopeful, but confident, about where
our nation is headed. After all, you
were calling for change long before criminal justice reform led the news
broadcasts and earned headlines. Now
that change is within sight, I know that your conviction has only deepened,
your resolve has only strengthened, and that our fight for progress will
continue to bear fruit. Thank you once
again for all that you’ve done. Thank
you for your faith in our mission and our work.
I look forward to all that we will achieve together in the days and
months to come.
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