[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 20]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 28600]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


        COMMENDATION OF THE SECOND CHANCE PROGRAM OF NEW MEXICO

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. HEATHER WILSON

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, October 29, 2007

  Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico. Madam Speaker, there are over two million 
people incarcerated in the United States, and nearly 6 percent of the 
adult population is under some form of correctional supervision.
  Over the past 25 years, prison populations have grown 377 percent and 
prison budgets have grown 600 percent. The burden currently borne by 
the American taxpayer exceeds $162 billion annually.
  The U.S. Department of Justice reports that the average criminal 
recidivism rate in the United States is 65 percent, and nearly two 
thirds of United States money is spent dealing with recidivism. 
Recidivism costs taxpayers over $35 billion a year in enforcement 
costs, and over $17 billion for additional court costs.
  Over 80 percent of the crimes in the United States are committed by 
recidivists. The only continuous factor for the past 25 years linked to 
recidivism is drug addiction, two-thirds of the prison population 
recidivate, two-thirds of the prison population is addicted and 
approximately 90 percent of the incarcerated addicted recidivate.
  The Second Chance Program is a secure long-term residential 
rehabilitation program treating substance abusers in the criminal 
justice system providing the judiciary an alternative to traditional 
incarceration.
  The purpose of the Second Chance Program is to provide secure, long 
term rehabilitation and then transition individuals back into society 
so they can lead a stable life free of crime and drugs.
  The Second Chance Program protocol is a non-medical social 
detoxification model of treatment based on nutrition, exercise and 
education.
  The Second Chance Program has shown in three independent university 
studies to have a 90 percent success rate, and has been operational and 
achieving rehabilitation results in New Mexico for 1 year.
  Congratulations to the Second Chance Program for successfully 
completing its first year of servicing the courts of New Mexico.

                          ____________________