[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 90 (Friday, June 25, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1283]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 INTRODUCTION OF THE LITERACY, EDUCATION AND REHABILITATION ACT (LERA)

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                          HON. ROBERT C. SCOTT

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 25, 2004

  Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the 
Literacy, Education and Rehabilitation Act (LERA). The purpose of LERA 
is to reduce recidivism and the victimization and costs, fiscal and 
social, associated with such recidivism. Studies have shown that inmate 
participation in education, vocational and job training, prison work 
skills development, drug abuse, mental health and other treatment 
programs, all reduce recidivism, significantly.
  The Federal prison population has increased more than 7-fold over the 
past 20 years. In 1984, the population was about 25,000 prisoners. 
Today, there are more than 175,000 prisoners, and the population is 
growing. According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), the primary 
reasons for this tremendous growth has been longer sentences resulting 
from the 1984 Sentencing Reform Act and mandatory minimum sentences. 
The Sentencing Reform Act established determinate sentencing, abolished 
parole, and dramatically reduced good time credits. Other sentencing 
policy by Congressional or administrative action has increasingly 
limited the discretion of judges and prison officials to impact 
sentence lengths or confinement options.
  During the same period, the annual number of prisoners returning to 
communities has also increased several fold. Currently, about 40,000 
prisoners leave Federal prisons each year. The question is whether they 
leave prison better prepared to lead law-abiding lives, or in a worse 
position to do so. The addition of a felony record and a Federal prison 
stay is not, in and of itself, likely to add to a person's job or 
social development prospects.
  Unfortunately, the elimination of incentives such as parole, good 
time credits and funding for college courses, means that fewer inmates 
participate in and excel in literacy, education, treatment and other 
development programs. LERA provides incentives and recognitions for 
achievement by giving the BOP Director the discretion to grant up to 60 
sentence credit days per year to an inmate for successful participation 
in literacy, education, work training, treatment and other development 
programs. LERA will not only prevent crime victimizations, but also 
save taxpayers money. Many sentences are excessively long because 
mandatory sentencing policies do not allow sentencing judges the 
discretion to distinguish between hardened criminals and those amenable 
to rehabilitation and preparation for successful re-entry. LERA allows 
offenders to distinguish themselves.

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