The Improving Reentry Education and Employment Outcomes Program is one of the Second Chance Act (SCA) programs supported through the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA).

This program provides funding and technical assistance to nonprofit organizations and state, local, and tribal governments to expand education and employment programs that serve individuals during incarceration and throughout their period of reentry into the community. It promotes an evidence-based and data-informed approach to provide meaningful opportunities, interrupt the cycle of unemployment, improve economic mobility, and promote reentry success for formerly incarcerated adults.

The objectives of the program are to:

• Implement or expand educational and vocational programs that result in improved educational outcomes for incarcerated adults.
• Demonstrate increased collaboration between educational providers and corrections, community supervision providers, and other reentry stakeholders.
• Implement or expand post-secondary education and operations with a focus on the mandated Pell reinstatement for incarcerated students.
• Implement or expand job-readiness assessments, individualized case plans, and employment-related services that result in improved employment readiness, attainment, and retention for incarcerated adults.
• Articulate and implement a robust vision for reentry employment with transitional supports and a focus on employment that is informed by labor market needs in the geographic areas.

Training and Technical Assistance

In support of SCA grantees around the country, the BJA-supported National Reentry Resource Center works collaboratively with SCA technical assistance providers. These agencies provide on- and off-site training and technical assistance (TTA) to the government agencies and nonprofit organizations that receive grants under the provisions of the SCA.

Additionally, BJA’s National Training and Technical Assistance Center provides no-cost TTA on a variety of criminal justice topics to improve the knowledge and skills of criminal justice professionals. Agencies interested in receiving TTA can submit a request through an online application.