Justice Center Resource
New Federal Benefits Online Tools
The Justice Center has just released two new online tools – Federal Benefits Comparison Chart and Keys to Federal Benefit Access – designed to help policymakers, practitioners, and others ensure that more people who are eligible for benefit programs such as SSI/SSDI and Medicaid are enrolled in these programs upon release from jail or prison.
Spotlight Announcements
Congressional Leaders Working on Funding of Second Chance Act
5/5/2008 – Now that the Second Chance Act has been signed into law, members of Congress are turning their attention toward ensuring that it receives funding in 2009 so that communities can begin to apply for the Second Chance reentry grants.
5/5/2008 – On April 21, the Council of State Governments Justice Center convened a meeting of state agency officials, victim advocates, prosecutors, and national experts to discuss a draft policy guide, which reviews strategies for increasing public safety by ensuring that sex offenders released from prisons and jails have a place to live.
Reentry News Clips
Columbus Dispatch (OH): Inmates sink teeth into training
4/27/2008 – Between fears that employers are going to lack skilled workers and concerns over record prison populations, attention is turning to inmates for work force development.
The Day (CT): Some Ex-Cons Relish Chance To Renew Lives
4/27/2008 – Jacqueline Caron, a former Norwich, CT city councilor, wants to remind us that there are people out there who learn from their mistakes and want to put their criminal past behind them.
Other Justice Center Projects
Criminal Justice / Mental Health InfoNet
The Justice Center's online database that provides a comprehensive inventory of collaborative criminal justice/mental health activity across the country.
An unprecedented, national effort to help policymakers improve the response to people with mental illnesses in the criminal justice system.
A data-driven strategy for policymakers to reduce spending on corrections and increase public safety.