2nd Change Connections - To reduce offender recidivism by connecting felony-convicted parents of children 0 - 17 years of age to their communities, families and jobs.

The Second Chance Act of 2007 (Pub. L. 110-199) provides a comprehensive response to the increasing number of incarcerated adults and juveniles who are released from prison, jail, and juvenile residential facilities and returning to communities. The Second Chance Act will help ensure that the transition individuals make from prison, jail, or juvenile residential facilities to the community is successful and promotes public safety. Section 101 of the Act authorizes grants to state and local governments and federally recognized Indian tribes that may be used for demonstration projects to promote the safe and successful reintegration. The goal of Section 101 of the Second Chance Act is to provide support to eligible applicants for the development and implementation of comprehensive and collaborative strategies that address the challenges posed by reentry to increase public safety and reduce recidivism. The objectives of this program are to provide offenders with appropriate evidence-based servicesincluding addressing individual criminogenic needsbased on a reentry plan that relies on a risk/needs assessment that reflects the risk of recidivism for that offender.

Two categories for adult offender reentry programs were funded. Category 1 (planning grant) recipients will constitute jurisdictions which have demonstrated a commitment to establishing a reentry program, and have made progress on the 10 mandatory requirements of a comprehensive reentry program, but have not yet fully completed each step. In addition to funding, successful Category 1 recipients will receive targeted technical assistance to help them in the planning process. Category 2 (implementation grant) recipients must include specific strategies for implementing the 10 mandatory requirements of a comprehensive reentry program.

The grant recipient will use FY 2011 grant funds to support the West Shoreline 2nd Chance Connections project. This project is designed to connect medium to high risk felony-convicted parents/offenders, with children 17 years of age and younger, to their communities, families and jobs upon release from prison or jail. With careful reentry planning and by instituting research-based re-entry supports and approaches to reentry the vision of healthy families and safe neighborhoods will be achieved.

CA/NCF