Second Chance Month – Everyone Deserves a Second Chance
Everyone Deserves a Second Chance by David Salgado, J.D. Candidate, Class of 2022
Second Chance Month is a nationwide effort to raise
awareness of what having a criminal conviction means for people once they are
released. An organization called the “Prison Fellowship” founded Second Chance
Month to raise awareness, improve perceptions of people with a criminal record,
encourage second-chance opportunities, and advocate for policy changes that
support people with criminal convictions transition back into society.
In the U.S., 1 in 3 American adults has a criminal conviction. 1 in 3! Having a criminal conviction affects these adults in numerous ways. It affects their access to an education, jobs, housing, and other things necessary for a productive life. Even though these individuals might physically be outside of prison walls, they still face numerous challenges once they are released which can render their life outside the walls almost like a second prison. These challenges make it incredibly difficult for recently release individuals to acclimate to normal life again. In fact, even though more than 600,000 Americans are released from prisons annually, two-thirds are rearrested within three years.
The struggles recently released individuals face is incredibly damaging. The cycle of crime and incarceration that they are placed in produces broken relationships, victimization, despair, and instability which impacts families and communities across the nation. On top of these very personal struggles, there is also a financial cost to be incurred. On average, the U.S. spends over $80 billion to incarcerate and reincarcerate people. All of this goes to show that there is something inherently wrong with this system and it needs to change.
Second Chance Month aims to bring about restoration to America’s Criminal Justice System and all those that it affects. This includes not only prisoners, but also their families and children. By recognizing Second Chance Month, we as advocates, also get the chance to think about how we can empower and restore prisoners who have been left to fend for themselves in a vicious cycle. Prisoners are in a position where they can easily be forgotten, pushed to the side, or become the target of unfounded public stigma. However, by choosing to take a hard look at this issue and looking for ways to provide a second chance, we allow families to be strengthened, communities to grow, and most importantly, we give hope to prisoners just trying to get back to a normal life.
I hope each of us can take the time to examine our hearts and remember that everyone is made in God’s image. Everyone has inherent dignity and potential. Everyone deserves a second chance.
