I 111th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5984 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 30, 2010 Ms. Richardson (for herself and Mr. Davis of Illinois) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To establish a pilot program to provide training and certification in the culinary arts for Federal inmates to be utilized during the normal inmate meals process and to be accredited for future employment and educational opportunities, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Cooking Helps Elevate Futures Act or the CHEF Act.

2.

Findings

The Congress finds the following: (1)In 2008, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the United States had more individuals in prison than any other developed nation, with more than 2,000,000 individuals incarcerated. (2)Each year, more than 650,000 inmates are released from State and Federal prisons after completing their sentences and such inmates return to living and participating in society in communities across the United States. (3)There are many impediments affecting the successful reentry of inmates into society, including the lack of marketable job skills and the overall risk of recidivism. (4)Because many inmates are not prepared for reentry into society and lack access to certain services and networks of support, the recidivism rate for inmates in the first year after release from prison is 44.1 percent, increasing to 67.5 percent in the first 3 years after release. (5)According to a 12-year study conducted by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, job skills, experience, and training obtained through prison work programs or vocational training programs have a positive effect on post-release employment and recidivism, increasing the likelihood that Federal inmates will successfully reintegrate into the community following their release from Federal prison. (6)Such study revealed that Federal inmates who participated in vocational training programs were 24 percent less likely to recidivate and 14 percent more likely to be employed at the end of the 12-month period following their release from prison than such inmates who did not participate in such training programs. (7)Culinary training is an effective strategy for increasing employment rates among former inmates because of the high demand for employment in the food service industry. In 2008, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 546,300 privately owned food service and drinking places in the Unites States, offering over 1,564,000 culinary positions.

3.

Establishment of pilot program

(a)

In general

Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall establish a pilot program— (1)to provide training and certification in the culinary arts for Federal inmates in order to provide such inmates with marketable employment skills; and (2)to provide such inmates with the customary job placement assistance, including the food service industry, after their release from a Federal correctional facility. (b)

Facilities selected

(1)

In general

The Attorney General shall select 10 different Federal correctional facilities located in different regions of the continental United States to participate in the pilot program. (2)

Considerations

In selecting Federal correctional facilities under paragraph (1), the Attorney General shall take into consideration for each State— (A)percentage of the State’s population that are Federal inmates; (B)the recidivism rate of such inmates; and (C)the unemployment rate of such inmates after release from a Federal correctional facility. (3)

Definition

In paragraph (1), the term continental United States means a State (other than Alaska and Hawaii) and the District of Columbia.

4.

Eligibility

The Attorney General, in consultation with the Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, shall prescribe regulations that establish eligibility requirements for Federal inmates to participate in the pilot program.

5.

Contracts

The Attorney General may enter into contracts with entities to provide culinary training and job placement assistance for Federal inmates participating in the pilot program.

6.

Report

Not later than 120 days after the conclusion of the pilot program, the Attorney General shall submit to the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives and the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate a report that details— (1)the number of Federal inmates who participated in, completed, and received a certification under the program; (2)the number of such inmates who were successfully placed in jobs once they were released from a Federal correctional facility; (3)the length of time it took for such inmates to find employment upon release from such a facility; (4)the length of time that such inmates have been employed by a particular employer since they were released from such a facility; (5)the rate of recidivism of such inmates; and (6)the number of disciplinary incidents such inmates were involved in while incarcerated and participating in the program as compared to the number of such incidents that occurred involving inmates who did not participate in the program.

7.

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary for each of the fiscal years 2012 through 2017 to carry out the pilot program.