We post news and comment on federal criminal justice issues, focused primarily on trial and post-conviction matters, legislative initiatives, and sentencing issues.

KARDASHIAN AND WHITE HOUSE BACKING RENEWED PELL GRANTS, EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVES FOR PRISONERS

Reality-TV queen Kim Kardashian returned to the White House last Thursday for the Second Chance Hiring event, promoting efforts to help prisoners return to the workforce.

Since President Trump signed the First Step Act last winter, he says the administration has been working to ensure released prisoners have the tools and jobs they need to adjust to life outside prison. “We’re bringing Americans who have been on the sidelines back into the workforce, including former inmates,” Trump said during the Second Chance Hiring program (not to be confused with the Second Chance Act of 2007). “America wins when citizens with a criminal record can contribute to their communities as law-abiding members of our society.”

Trump announced several other measures, including stepped-up efforts by the Bureau of Prisons to line up jobs for those being released and additional funds to support companies that hire former inmates. Despite historically low unemployment, people released from prison typically experience jobless rates of at least five times the national average. According to research by the Prison Policy Initiative, jobless rates among former prisoners top 27%. As part of the second chance initiative, the White House announced its intent to lower that rate to single digits within five years.

“When former inmates come home the single most important action we can take is to help them find a really really good job, where they love the job and they’re making a lot of money,” Trump said.

Trump’s initiative builds on First Step, and includes increased bond money for the Dept. of Labor to offer a financial guarantee to companies for hiring people with a criminal record or other at-risk applicants, a BOP partnership with employers to find jobs quickly for people being released, and even a free ride-share program to get recently-released people around for interviews and connecting with family.

Maybe the most important step for currently-incarcerated folks is expansion of the Dept. of Education Pell Grant pilot program to include additional colleges, allowing more prisoners access to college programs. to take classes. Before 2016, inmates were banned from receiving Pell Grants under the 1994 crime bill, but DOE was given permission to run a pilot program in 2016. According to a 2013 DOJ funded-study, people who participated in prison education were 43% less likely to return to prison within three years.

The New York Times, The Subject at the White House Was Criminal Justice. The Subtext Was the Election (June 13)

Washington Post, At White House, Kardashian promotes prisoner reentry effort (June 13)

WSTM-TV, Trump promotes ‘second chance’ initiative to end ex-prisoners’ unemployment crisis (June 14)

– Thomas L. Root

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