The National Association of Evangelicals has long supported the Second Chance Act and recently joined 330 organizations, representing a diverse range of sectors, from law enforcement to business leader to service providers, in a letter encouraging continued funding for the Second Chance Act in the Fiscal Year 2027 appropriations process. 

As evangelicals, we know that the gospel is inherently a story of redemption, restoration and second chances. This conviction inspires our work to advocate for better support and solutions for those facing incarceration. Jesus himself identifies with prisoners in Matthew 25, reminding his followers that to care for those behind prison walls is to be in relationship with our Savior himself.  

Nearly 95 percent of individuals incarcerated in state and federal prisons in the United States will be released back to their communities at some point and face a complex set of challenges upon reentry. To address these unique needs, Congress created the Second Chance Act in 2008, which provides and improves vital reentry services, including job training, housing assistance, substance abuse treatment and mentoring. Since the passage of the Second Chance Act, national recidivism rates (i.e., the percentage of released offenders who are rearrested or returned to prison) has lowered by 23 percent nationwide. 

The coalition letter affirms that the reentry programs supported by the legislation have proven to be effective and essential to ensuring safer communities and improving outcomes for individuals returning from incarceration. We are grateful for the longstanding bipartisan support for the Second Chance Act and continue to urge Congress to invest in these life-changing programs.  

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