2008 Woodie Awards
New legislation leads effort against recidivism
Issue date: 4/11/08 Section: Editorials
Wednesday saw President George W. Bush sign into law the Second Chance Act-a new measure by which $330 million will be allocated toward ending the nation's immense recidivism rate. With the goal of increasing the ability of former prisoners to successfully re-enter American life, this new legislation focuses mainly on providing state and local governments with $115 million in direct, competitive grants to spur program innovation. The Miami Student editorial board believes that despite the lackluster attempts to truly solve high recidivism rates in the past, this new legislation and generous funding approval will most likely be able to make a positive impact.
The recidivism rate-the tendency of a once-released prisoner to return to a state of incarceration-is more than 50 percent and continues to plague a country that has not effectively been able to deal with this issue since it was first prominently raised in presidential campaigns throughout the 1980s. Although the bill was passed at a time when bipartisan legislation is politically beneficial to both parties, there is a sense that effective results can still come out of this advantageous position. The editorial board believes that stringent benchmarking requirements implemented across governmental levels could provide effective management of this initiative. While the current lack of federal pilot programs does cause some concern, the ability for state innovation with these proposed grant allocations is important. Local governments can use the funds to figure out how to best manage local issues related to recidivism.
However, there is a major concern that surrounds the new law. While politically convenient for federal lawmakers, these new funds come to state and local governments at a time when they seem to be more worried about immigration, budget deficits and the economy in general rather than the direct impacts of recidivism. There is no doubt that these funds will be put to use, but there should be a focus on the effectiveness of the programs that are produced with this new grant money and a careful examination of the extent to which federal monies are used to reduce recidivism.
With properly monitored and allocated funds, this editorial board believes that this program can become a success. Even if concerns of prisoners does not seem to be the highest agenda item in the country, government attention to the issue will help raise more awareness of the recidivism problem and hopefully spur more critical thinking about how to solve the problem.
The recidivism rate-the tendency of a once-released prisoner to return to a state of incarceration-is more than 50 percent and continues to plague a country that has not effectively been able to deal with this issue since it was first prominently raised in presidential campaigns throughout the 1980s. Although the bill was passed at a time when bipartisan legislation is politically beneficial to both parties, there is a sense that effective results can still come out of this advantageous position. The editorial board believes that stringent benchmarking requirements implemented across governmental levels could provide effective management of this initiative. While the current lack of federal pilot programs does cause some concern, the ability for state innovation with these proposed grant allocations is important. Local governments can use the funds to figure out how to best manage local issues related to recidivism.
However, there is a major concern that surrounds the new law. While politically convenient for federal lawmakers, these new funds come to state and local governments at a time when they seem to be more worried about immigration, budget deficits and the economy in general rather than the direct impacts of recidivism. There is no doubt that these funds will be put to use, but there should be a focus on the effectiveness of the programs that are produced with this new grant money and a careful examination of the extent to which federal monies are used to reduce recidivism.
With properly monitored and allocated funds, this editorial board believes that this program can become a success. Even if concerns of prisoners does not seem to be the highest agenda item in the country, government attention to the issue will help raise more awareness of the recidivism problem and hopefully spur more critical thinking about how to solve the problem.
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