Ahead of 2020’s presidential election, then-candidate Joe Biden campaigned “to strengthen and reform” the criminal justice system. Among, perhaps, the most publicized steps he’s taken so far was his proclamation last year, marking April 2023 as Second Chance Month — an attempt to give formerly incarcerated people a second chance.
“I believe in redemption — but for hundreds of thousands of Americans released from State and Federal prisons each year, or the nearly 80 million who have an arrest or conviction record, it is not always easy to come by,” President Biden’s proclamation read.
“Three-quarters of formerly incarcerated people remain unemployed a year after their release — and joblessness is a top predictor of recidivism,” the statement also said. “We are not giving people a real second chance.”
Widespread reform is particularly necessary in the criminal justice system to address racial disparities. Data show African-Americans are incarcerated at five times the rate of white Americans. So, it’s evident why, during the 2020 election season, Black voters expected elected officials to take proactive steps to reform the criminal justice system and support de-carceration.
During the first two years of Biden’s presidency, his criminal justice reform (and crime prevention) efforts included: investing in community-led initiatives to reduce gun violence, nominating more Black and Latino people to be federal court judges, and appointing 37 U.S. attorneys, of whom 20 were Black.
Many Black activists and people who voted for Biden wanted to see more done to fulfill his campaign promise, so his administration’s support of Second Chance Month last year signaled optimism for many.
Now that Second Chance Month 2024 is upon us, here’s a look back at what Biden’s initiative included, and what impact it’s had — or hasn’t had — in the year since.
What is Second Chance Month and what did the Biden administration do?
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