[House Report 116-555]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


116th Congress     }                                   {        Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session        }                                   {       116-555

======================================================================

 
        THE ONE STOP SHOP COMMUNITY REENTRY PROGRAM ACT OF 2020

                                _______
                                

 September 29, 2020.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on 
            the State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

    Mr. Nadler, from the Committee on the Judiciary, submitted the 
                               following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 8161]

    The Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the 
bill (H.R. 8161) to authorize implementation grants to 
community-based nonprofits to operate one-stop reentry centers, 
having considered the same, reports favorably thereon with an 
amendment and recommends that the bill as amended do pass.

                                CONTENTS

                                                                   Page
Purpose and Summary..............................................     5
Background and Need for the Legislation..........................     5
Hearings.........................................................    11
Committee Consideration..........................................    11
Committee Votes..................................................    11
Committee Oversight Findings.....................................    11
New Budget Authority and Tax Expenditures and Congressional 
  Budget Office Cost Estimate....................................    11
Duplication of Federal Programs..................................    12
Performance Goals and Objectives.................................    12
Advisory on Earmarks.............................................    12
Section-by-Section Analysis......................................    12

    The amendment is as follows:
  Strike all that follows after the enacting clause and insert 
the following:

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

  This Act may be cited as the ``The One Stop Shop Community Reentry 
Program Act of 2020''.

SEC. 2. COMMUNITY REENTRY CENTER GRANT PROGRAM.

  (a) Program Authorized.--The Attorney General is authorized to carry 
out a grant program to make grants to eligible entities for the purpose 
of creating community reentry centers.
  (b) Application Requirements.--Each application for a grant under 
this section shall--
          (1) demonstrate a plan to work with community leaders who 
        interact with formerly incarcerated people and their families 
        to--
                  (A) identify specific strategies and approaches to 
                providing reentry services;
                  (B) develop a needs assessment tool to survey or 
                conduct focus groups with community members in order to 
                identify--
                          (i) the needs of individuals returning to the 
                        community after conviction or incarceration, 
                        and the barriers such individuals face; and
                          (ii) the needs of the families and 
                        communities to which such individuals are 
                        returning; and
                  (C) use the information gathered pursuant to 
                subparagraph (B) to determine the reentry services to 
                be provided by the community reentry center;
          (2) identify the correctional institutions from which 
        individuals who are released from incarceration are likely to 
        reenter the community served by the community reentry center, 
        and develop a plan, if feasible, to provide transportation for 
        such released individuals to the community reentry center, to 
        the individual's residence, or to a location where the 
        individual is ordered by a court to report;
          (3) demonstrate a plan to provide accessible notice of the 
        location of the reentry intake and coordination center and the 
        services that it will provide (either directly or on a referral 
        basis), including, where feasible, within and outside of 
        correctional institutions identified under paragraph (1);
          (4) demonstrate a plan to provide intake and reentry needs 
        assessment that is trauma-informed and gender-responsive after 
        an individual is released from a correctional institution, or, 
        in the case of an individual who is convicted of an offense and 
        not sentenced to a term of imprisonment, after such conviction, 
        and where feasible, before release, to ensure that the 
        individuals served by the center are referred to appropriate 
        reentry services based on the individual's needs immediately 
        upon release from a correctional institution or after 
        conviction, and continuously thereafter as needed;
          (5) demonstrate a plan to provide the reentry services 
        identified in paragraph (1)(C);
          (6) demonstrate a plan to continue to provide services 
        (including through referral) for individuals served by the 
        center who move to a different geographic area to ensure 
        appropriate case management, case planning, and access to 
        continuous or new services, where necessary, and based on 
        consistent reevaluation of needs; and
          (7) identify specific methods that the community reentry 
        center will employ to achieve performance objectives among the 
        individuals served by the center, including--
                  (A) increased access to and participation in reentry 
                services;
                  (B) reduction in recidivism rates;
                  (C) increased numbers of individuals obtaining and 
                retaining employment;
                  (D) increased enrollment in and degrees earned from 
                educational programs, including high school, GED, and 
                institutions of higher education;
                  (E) increased numbers of individuals obtaining and 
                maintaining housing; and
                  (F) increased self-reports of successful community 
                living, including stability of living situation and 
                positive family relationships.
  (c) Preference.--The Attorney General shall give preference to 
applicants that demonstrate that they seek to employ individuals who 
have been convicted of an offense, or served a term of imprisonment and 
have completed any court-ordered supervision, or that, to the extent 
allowable by law, employ such formerly incarcerated individuals in 
positions of responsibility.
  (d) Evaluation and Report.--
          (1) Evaluation.--The Attorney General shall enter into a 
        contract with a nonprofit organization with expertise in 
        analyzing data related to reentry services and recidivism to 
        monitor and evaluate each recipient of a grant and each 
        community reentry center receiving funds under this section on 
        an ongoing basis.
          (2) Administrative burden.--The nonprofit organization 
        described in paragraph (1) shall provide administrative support 
        to assist recipients of grants authorized by this Act to comply 
        with the conditions associated with the receipt of funding from 
        the Department of Justice.
          (3) Report.--Not later than one year after the date on which 
        grants are initially made under this section, and annually 
        thereafter, the Attorney General shall submit to Congress a 
        report on the program, which shall include--
                  (A) the number of grants made, the number of eligible 
                entities receiving such grants, and the amount of 
                funding distributed to each eligible entity pursuant to 
                this section;
                  (B) the location of each eligible entity receiving 
                such a grant, and the population served by the 
                community reentry center;
                  (C) the number of persons who have participated in 
                reentry services offered by a community reentry center, 
                disaggregated by type of services, and success rates of 
                participants in each service to the extent possible;
                  (D) the number of persons who have participated in 
                reentry services for which they received a referral 
                from a community reentry center, disaggregated by type 
                of services, and success rates of participants in each 
                service;
                  (E) recidivism rates within the population served by 
                each community reentry center, both before and after 
                receiving a grant under this section;
                  (F) the numbers of individuals obtaining and 
                retaining employment within the population served by 
                each community reentry center, both before and after 
                receiving a grant under this section; and
                  (G) the number of individuals obtaining and 
                maintaining housing within the population served by 
                each community reentry center, both before and after 
                receiving a grant under this section.
  (e) Definitions.--In this section:
          (1) The term ``eligible entity'' means a community-based 
        nonprofit organization that--
                  (A) has expertise in the provision of reentry 
                services; and
                  (B) is located in a geographic area that has 
                disproportionately high numbers of residents, when 
                compared to the local community, who--
                          (i) have been arrested;
                          (ii) have been convicted of a criminal 
                        offense; and
                          (iii) return to such geographic area after 
                        incarceration.
          (2) The term ``community reentry center'' means a center 
        that--
                  (A) offers intake, reentry needs assessments, case 
                management, and case planning for reentry services for 
                individuals returning to the community after conviction 
                or incarceration;
                  (B) provides the reentry services identified under 
                subsection (b)(1)(C) at a single location; and
                  (C) provides referrals to appropriate service 
                providers based on the assessment of needs of the 
                individuals.
          (3) The term ``reentry services'' means comprehensive and 
        holistic services that improve outcomes for individuals 
        returning to the community after conviction or incarceration, 
        and may include--
                  (A) seeking and maintaining employment, including 
                through assistance with drafting resumes, establishing 
                emails accounts, locating job solicitations, submitting 
                of job applications, and preparing for interviews;
                  (B) placement in job placement programs that partner 
                with private employers;
                  (C) obtaining free and low-cost job skills classes, 
                including computer skills, technical skills, vocational 
                skills, and any other job-related skills;
                  (D) locating and maintaining housing, which may 
                include counseling on public housing opportunities, 
                assisting with applications for public housing 
                benefits, locating and securing temporary or long-term 
                shelter, and applying for home energy and utility 
                assistance programs;
                  (E) obtaining identification cards and driver's 
                licenses;
                  (F) registering to vote, and applying for voting 
                rights to be restored, where permitted by law;
                  (G) applying for or accessing GED courses;
                  (H) applying for loans for and admission to 
                institutions of higher education;
                  (I) financial counseling;
                  (J) legal assistance or referrals for record 
                expungement, forfeiture of property or assets, family 
                law and custody matters, legal aid services (including 
                other civil legal aid services), and relevant civil 
                matters including housing and other issues;
                  (K) retrieving property or funds retained by the 
                arresting agency or facility of incarceration, or 
                retrieving property or funds obtained while 
                incarcerated;
                  (L) transportation, including through provision of 
                transit fare;
                  (M) familial counseling;
                  (N) problem-solving, in coordination with counsel 
                where necessary, any difficulties in compliance with 
                court-ordered supervision requirements, including 
                restrictions on living with certain family members, 
                contact with certain friends, bond requirements, 
                location and residency restrictions, electronic 
                monitoring compliance, court-ordered substance abuse, 
                and other court-ordered requirements;
                  (O) communication needs, including providing a mobile 
                phone, mobile phone service or access, or internet 
                access;
                  (P) applying for State or Federal government 
                benefits, where eligible, and assisting in locating 
                free or reduced cost food and sustenance benefits;
                  (Q) life skills assistance;
                  (R) mentorship;
                  (S) medical and mental health services, and 
                cognitive-behavioral programming;
                  (T) substance abuse treatment;
                  (U) reactivation, application for, and maintenance of 
                professional or other licenses; and
                  (V) providing case management services, in connection 
                with court-orders terms of release, or other local 
                publicly supported social work case management.
          (4) The term ``community leader'' means an individual who 
        serves the community in a leadership role, including--
                  (A) a school official;
                  (B) a faith leader;
                  (C) a social service provider;
                  (D) a member of a neighborhood association;
                  (E) a public safety representative;
                  (F) an employee of an organization that provides 
                reentry services;
                  (G) a member of a civic or volunteer group related to 
                the provision of reentry services;
                  (H) a health care professional; or
                  (I) an employee of a State, local, or tribal 
                government agency with expertise in the provision of 
                reentry services.
          (5) The term ``success rate'' means the rate of recidivism 
        (as measured by a subsequent conviction or return to prison), 
        job placement, permanent housing placement, or completion of 
        certification, trade, or other education program.
  (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--
          (1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated 
        $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025 to carry 
        out this section.
          (2) Equitable distribution.--The Attorney General shall 
        ensure that grants awarded under this section are equitably 
        distributed among the geographical regions and between urban 
        and rural populations, including Indian Tribes, consistent with 
        the objective of reducing recidivism.

SEC. 3. GRANTS FOR REENTRY SERVICES ASSISTANCE HOTLINES.

  (a) Grants Authorized.--
          (1) In general.--The Attorney General is authorized to make 
        grants to States and units of local government to operate 
        reentry services assistance hotlines that are toll-free and 
        operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
          (2) Grant period.--A grant made under paragraph (1) shall be 
        for a period of not more than 5 years.
  (b) Hotline Requirements.--A grant recipient shall ensure, with 
respect to a hotline funded by a grant under subsection (a), that--
          (1) the hotline directs individuals to local reentry services 
        (as such term is defined in section 2(e));
          (2) any personally identifiable information that an 
        individual provides to an agency of the State through the 
        hotline is not directly or indirectly disclosed, without the 
        consent of the individual, to any other agency or entity, or 
        person;
          (3) the staff members who operate the hotline are trained to 
        be knowledgeable about--
                  (A) applicable Federal, State, and local reentry 
                services; and
                  (B) the unique barriers to successful reentry into 
                the community after a person has been convicted or 
                incarcerated;
          (4) the hotline is accessible to--
                  (A) individuals with limited English proficiency, 
                where appropriate; and
                  (B) individuals with disabilities;
          (5) the hotline has the capability to engage with individuals 
        using text messages.
  (c) Best Practices.--The Attorney General shall issue guidance to 
grant recipients on best practices for implementing the requirements of 
subsection (b).
  (d) Preference.--The Attorney General shall give preference to 
applicants that demonstrate that they seek to employ individuals to 
operate the hotline who have been convicted of an offense, or have 
served a term of imprisonment and have completed any court-ordered 
supervision.
  (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $1,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025 to 
carry out this section.

                          Purpose and Summary

    H.R. 8161, the ``The One Stop Shop Community Reentry 
Program Act of 2020,'' would fill a critical void in reentry 
services by providing resources for state and local 
jurisdictions to make grants to establish a more centralized 
process for assisting individuals who are reentering their 
communities after a period of incarceration. The one-stop shop 
model that this legislation promotes would aim to provide 
complete reentry services to address the critical elements of 
the reentry process that promote long-term reentry success. 
Notably, the one-stop centers would include support personnel, 
who themselves are formerly incarcerated individuals, to 
provide direct support for recently released individuals. In 
addition, where reentry services may not logistically be able 
to be placed in a single geographic location, this legislation 
authorizes the Attorney General to fund States and local 
jurisdictions to establish 24/7 reentry service assistance 
hotlines that direct recently released individuals to 
appropriate reentry resources.
    When it passed the landmark Second Chance Act, Congress 
demonstrated its commitment to provide housing, employment 
assistance, substance abuse treatment and other related 
services to returning individuals with the goal of reducing 
recidivism. H.R. 8161 would go a step further by ensuring that 
returning citizens can more effectively access services such as 
those funded through the Second Chance Act, as well as other 
community-funded reentry programs.

                Background and Need for the Legislation

    There are currently over 2.1 million people incarcerated in 
local, state, and federal correctional facilities. This number 
represents a more than 500% increase in the incarcerated 
population over the last 40 years.\1\ Over 95% of people 
currently incarcerated will eventually be released back to 
their communities.\2\ In fact, approximately 600,000 people are 
released from custody every year.\3\ At the end of 2016, an 
estimated 4.5 million adults were under community supervision, 
which includes probation or parole.\4\ Reentry services are 
essential for this population, to ensure that these individuals 
transition smoothly out of jail and prison and to keep 
recidivism to a minimum.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\Wendy Sayer & Peter Wagner, Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie, 
Prison Policy Initiative, https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/
pie2019.html; The Sentencing Project, Trends in U.S. Corrections U.S. 
State and Federal Prison Population, 1925-2017 (2019), https://
www.sentencingproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Trends-in-US 
Corrections.pdf.
    \2\John J. Gibbons & Nicholas de B. Katzenbach, Confronting 
Confinement: A Report the Commission on Safety and Abuse in America's 
Prisons 11 (May 2006), https://www.vera.org/publications/confronting-
confinement.
    \3\E. Ann Carson, Prisoners in 2016, Bur. of Just. Stats 10 (Jan. 
2018), https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/p16.pdf.
    \4\Danielle Kaeble, Probation and Parole in United States 2016, 
Bur. of Just. Stats, https://www.bjs.gov/
index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=6188.
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    The recidivism rates for individuals leaving prisons remain 
high, and a large number of those released from prison will 
ultimately find themselves back in the criminal legal system. A 
2018 study found that 83% of people released from prisons in 
2005 were arrested at least once during the nine years 
following their release.\5\ Of those released from state 
prisons, 44% were arrested at least once in the year 
immediately following their release.\6\ A similar study on 
recidivism among federal offenders found that almost half of 
these returning individuals were rearrested at least once 
during an eight-year follow-up.\7\ Most of the rearrests 
occurred within the first two years after release, with the 
median time to rearrest being 21 months.\8\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \5\Mariel Alper, & Matthew R. Durose, 2018 Update on Prisoner 
Recidivism: A 9-Year Follow-up Period (2005 2014, Bur. of Just. Stats 
(Jun. 21, 2016), https://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=5642.
    \6\Id.
    \7\Kim Hunt & Robert Dumville, Recidivism Among Federal Offenders: 
A Comprehensive Review, U.S. Sentencing Comm. 3 (Mar. 2016), https://
www.ussc.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/research-and-publications/
research-publications/2016/recidivism_overview.pdf.
    \8\Id. at 5.
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    Lack of access to resources upon release leads to a cycle 
of rearrest and reincarceration that some scholars call the 
``revolving door'' to prison.\9\ This cycle of recidivism has 
tremendous financial consequences--the United States spends 
over $80 billion dollars a year on incarceration--not to 
mention the human toll it takes on families and 
communities.\10\ The cycle of release, rearrest, and 
reincarceration,\11\ also costs state and local communities 
over $100 million in policing and judicial administration 
costs.\12\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \9\Pew Center on the States, State of Recidivism: The Revolving 
Door of America's Prisons 7 (Apr. 2011), https://www.pewtrusts.org/
 cents/media/legacy/uploadedfiles/wwwpewtrustsorg/reports/
sentencing_and_corrections/
staterecidivismrevolvingdooramericaprisons20pdf.pdf.
    \10\Melissa S. Kearney, et al, Ten Facts About Crime and 
Incarceration in the United States, The Hamilton Project (May 2014), 
https://www.hamiltonproject.org/papers/
ten_economic_facts_about_crime_and_incarceration_in_the_united_states/.
    \11\Id.
    \12\Friedman, Barry, We Spend Over $100 Million a Year on Policing. 
We Have No Idea What Works, Wash. Post, March 10, 2017, https://
www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2017/03/10/we-spend-100-
billion-on-policing-we-have-no-idea-what-works/.
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             A. UNIQUE CHALLENGES FACING RETURNING CITIZENS

    While some returning individuals have a release plan, many 
people are released from custody with only their personal 
property, little money, and no place to go.\13\ The result of 
not having a reentry plan can be ruinous. In the last decade, 
policymakers have begun to measure the effects of reentry on 
returning individuals, their families, and their communities. 
Studies show that most people enter the prison system with low 
levels of education, limited work experience, substance abuse 
issues, and mental health infirmities, and that these same 
issues are still present when a person is released from 
prison.\14\ Without appropriate reentry services to assist 
them, many returning citizens find themselves back in the 
criminal justice system.\15\ Indeed, even those individuals who 
are released with a comprehensive reentry plan still face many 
unique challenges reintegrating into society.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \13\Jocelyn Fontaine & Jennifer Biess, Housing as a Platform for 
Formerly Incarcerated Persons, Urban Institute 2, 5-7 (Apr. 
2012),https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/25321/
412552-Housing-as-a-Platform-for-Formerly-Incarcerated-Persons.PDF.
    \14\Baer, Demelza, et al., Understanding the Challenges to Prisoner 
Reentry; Research Findings from the Urban Institute's Prisoner Reentry 
Portfolio, Urban Institute 2 (Jan. 2006), https://www.urban.org/sites/
default/files/publication/42981/411289-Understanding-the-Challenges-of-
Prisoner-Reentry.PDF.
    \15\Id.
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1. Many Housing Options Are Out of Reach for Returning Citizens

    Finding a safe and secure place to live is crucial to 
successful reintegration into society.\16\ The first month 
after release is a particularly important period, ``during 
which the risk of becoming homeless and/or returning to 
criminal justice involvement is high.''\17\ Options for 
reentering individuals can be limited.\18\ Securing safe and 
stable housing often poses a significant challenge for 
returning individuals. The private rental market is off-limits 
to many returning citizens because of the lack of affordable 
housing options in most major cities.\19\ Even if someone has 
sufficient income to afford private market rent, many landlords 
refuse to rent to people with criminal records.\20\ 
Additionally, people with certain criminal records are often 
barred from public housing.\21\ These bans on public housing 
assistance keep formerly incarcerated persons from reuniting 
with their families because many local public housing agencies 
will evict or deny housing to an entire household if one family 
member has a prior conviction.\22\ As a result, many returning 
citizens end up at homeless shelters, as a last resort.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \16\Lucius Couloute, Nowhere to Go: Homelessness Among Formerly 
Incarcerated People, Prison Policy Initiative (Aug. 2018), https://
www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/housing.html (``Stable housing is the 
foundation of successful reentry from prison.'').
    \17\Council of State Governments, Report of the Re-Entry Policy 
Council Charting the Safe and Successful Return of Prisoners to the 
Community 272 (2005), https://csgjusticecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/
2020/02/report-of-the-re-entry-policy-council-charting-the-safe-and-
successful-return-of-prisoners-to-the-community.pdf.
    \18\Jocelyn Fontaine & Jennifer Biess, Housing as a Platform for 
Formerly Incarcerated Persons, Urban Institute 2-5 (Apr. 2012),https://
www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/25321/412552-Housing-as-
a-Platform-for-Formerly-Incarcerated-Persons.PDF.
    \19\Brenda Richardson, America's Affordable Housing Crisis is Only 
Getting Worse, Forbes, Jan. 31, 2019.
    \20\Mireya Navarro, Federal Housing Authorities Warn Against 
Blanket Bans on Ex-offenders, N.Y. Times, Apr. 4, 2016.
    \21\42 U.S.C. 13663 (2018)(excluding certain sex offenders from 
public housing); see also 24 C.F.R. 982.553(a) (2020).
    \22\Rebecca Vallas, et al, Removing Barriers to Opportunity for 
Parents with Criminal Records and Their Children, Ctr. for Am. Progress 
10 (Dec. 2015), https://cdn.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/
2015/12/09060720/CriminalRecords-report2.pdf.
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    The overall lack of housing options has profound effects on 
the entire prisoner reentry process and contributes to the 
cycle of incarceration. One study showed that homeless 
individuals who had access to stable housing were significantly 
less likely to recidivate,\23\ while those without access to 
housing were more than twice as likely to commit another crime 
within the first 12 months of release.\24\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \23\Julian M. Somers et al., Urban Inst., Housing First Reduces Re-
Offending Among Formerly Homeless Adults with Mental Disorders: Results 
of a Randomized Controlled Trial, PLOS ONE 1, 6-8 (Sept. 2013), http://
www.plosone.org/article/fetchObject.action?uri=info%3Adoi%
2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0072946&representation=PDF.
    \24\Lornet Turnbull, Few Rentals for Freed Felons, Seattle Times, 
Nov. 29, 2010, https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/few-rentals-
for-freed-felons/.
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2. Barriers to Employment Increase Recidivism

    Steady employment has been shown to help returning citizens 
gain economic stability and reduce recidivism.\25\ While many 
formerly incarcerated people want to work, they face tremendous 
challenges when seeking employment.\26\ One frequently 
encountered barrier to employment is the lack of formal 
education or job training and limited work experience of some 
returning individuals. People in prison have lower levels of 
education and limited work experience than the general 
population.\27\ The statistics are troubling; 41 percent of 
those in state and federal prisons do not have a high school 
diploma, compared with 18 percent of the general 
population.\28\ While 48 percent of the general population has 
some college education, only 24 percent of people in federal 
prisons have a similar education level.\29\ Further, while 
incarcerated, they are unable to work and gain job skills, are 
removed from their communities, and experience a disruption in 
social connections that would help them obtain a job upon 
release.\30\
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    \25\Lucius Couloute & Daniel Kopf, Out of Prison & Out of Work: 
Unemployment Among Formerly Incarcerated People, Prison Policy 
Initiative (July 2018), https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/
outofwork.html.
    \26\Id. (``[I]ncarcerated people are unemployed at a rate of over 
27%--higher than the total U.S. unemployment rate during any historical 
period, including the Great Depression.'').
    \27\Caroline Wolf Harlow, Bureau of Justice Statistics Special 
Report, Education and Correctional Populations, Bur. Just. Stats. 2, 10 
(Jan. 1, 2003), https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/ecp.pdf.
    \28\Id. at 1.
    \29\Id. at 2.
    \30\John Schmitt & Kris Warner, Ex-Offenders and the Labor Market, 
Ctr. for Econ. & Policy Research 8 (Nov. 2010), http://cepr.net/
documents/publications/ex-offenders-2010 11.pdf.
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    Having a record of a prior criminal conviction poses 
another hurdle to finding stableemployment. In most states, 
people with criminal convictions are categorically barred from 
obtaining certain occupational licenses for employment, such as for 
work as cosmetologists, barbers, teachers or mortgage brokers.\31\ This 
is the case even if the license has nothing to do with the nature of 
the prior conviction.\32\ Even when an occupational license is not a 
prerequisite, employers' general reluctance to hire people with 
criminal records serves as an additional barrier to employment.\33\ For 
instance, one study found that only 40 percent of employers would 
``definitely'' or ``probably'' hire someone with a criminal conviction, 
especially for a job that involves handling money or dealing with 
customers.\34\
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    \31\Allyson Fredericksen & Desiree Omli, Jobs After Jail, Ending 
the Prison to Poverty Pipeline, Alliance for a Just Soc'y (2016), 
https://jobgap2013.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/
ajs_job_after_jail_report_final_pdf.pdf (noting that on average, states 
have 123 restrictions on the type of work that those with felony 
convictions may engage in); Chidi Umez & Rebecca Pirius, Barriers to 
Work: People with Criminal Records: Improving Access to Licensed 
Occupations for Individuals With Criminal Records, Nat'l Conf. of St. 
Leg. (Jul. 17, 2018), https://www.ncsl.org/research/labor-and-
employment/barriers-to-work-individuals-with-criminal-records.aspx.
    \32\Id. at 19, 35.
    \33\Schmitt, Ex-Offenders and the Labor Market, supra note 29, at 
8.
    \34\Id. at 10.
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    Given these challenges, it is not surprising that the 
unemployment rate for formerly incarcerated people is five 
times higher than the rate for the general population.\35\ 
Three in four formerly incarcerated individuals remain 
unemployed one year after release.\36\ And, for those returning 
citizens who do get jobs, they are more likely to work part 
time and earn lower wages. A report from the Brookings 
Institution found that one year after release, about half of 
returning citizens earned less than $500 and only 20 percent 
earned more than $15,000.\37\
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    \35\Lucuis Coulote & Daniel Kopf, Out of Prison and Out of Work, 
Prison Policy Initiative (Jul. 2018), https://www.prisonpolicy.org/
reports/outofwork.html.
    \36\Am. Civil Liberties Union, Back to Business: How Hiring 
Formerly Incarcerated Job Seekers Benefits Your Company 4 (2017), 
https://www.aclu.org/sites/default/files/field_document/060917-trone-
reportweb_0.pdf.
    \37\Adam Looney & Nicholas Turner, Work and Opportunity Before and 
After Incarceration, Brookings Inst. 7 (Mar. 14, 2018), https://
www.brookings.edu/research/work-and-opportunity-before-and-after-
incarceration/.
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    Despite these many challenges, the majority of returning 
individuals want to work and believe that having a job after 
release is an important factor in helping them stay out of 
prison.\38\ Indeed, as the data show, returning individuals who 
participate in structured reentry programs have a better chance 
of finding and maintaining fulltime employment.\39\
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    \38\Demelza Baer, et al., Understanding the Challenges to Prisoner 
Reentry; Research Findings from the Urban Institute's Prisoner Reentry 
Portfolio, Urban Inst. 2, 4 (Jan. 2003).
    \39\See e.g., Aaron Yelowitz and Christopher Bollinger, Prison-to-
Work: The Benefits of Intensive Job Search Assistance for Former 
Inmates, Civic Report, No, Ctr. for State & Local Leadership 96 (Mar. 
2015) (finding that a job assistance program that quickly placed 
individuals in jobs reduced the rates of recidivism).
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3. People with Mental Health Disorders are Overrepresented in Prison 
        Populations

    People with mental illnesses make up a significant portion 
of the prison population.\40\ Because of this, our nation's 
corrections institutions are often, collectively, considered 
the biggest provider of mental health services in America.\41\ 
For example, the Los Angeles County Jail, the Cook County Jail, 
and Rikers Island each hold more people with mental health 
disorders than any psychiatric hospital currently operating in 
the United States.\42\ While only 18 percent of the general 
population has been diagnosed with a mental health disorder, 
among the prison population, that number is between 30 and 40 
percent.\43\
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    \40\Treatment Advocacy Ctr., Background Paper: Serious Mental 
Illness Prevalence in Jails & Prisons (Sept. 2016), https://
www.treatmentadvocacycenter.org/evidence-and-research/learn-more-about/
3695#::text=Overall%2C%20approximately%2020%25%20of%20inmates,have%20a%

20serious%20mental%20illness.
    \41\Jennifer M. Reingle Gonzalez & Nadine M. Connell, Mental Health 
and Prisoners: Identifying Barriers to Mental Health Treatment and 
Medication Continuity, Am. J. of Public Health, Vol. 104. No. 12 
(2014).
    \42\Cynthia Zubritsky, et al., Breaking the Cycle of Recidivism: 
From In-Jail Behavioral Health Services to Community Support, J. of 
Crim. & Forensic Studies, Vol. 1 Issue 2, 1 (2018), http://www.bc-
systemofcare.org/test/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/ChancesR- 
JOCFS180010.pdf.
    \43\Heather Stringer, Improving Mental Health for Inmates, American 
Psychological Association, Monitor on Psychology. Vol 50. No. 3 March 
(2019); Nat'l Alliance on Mental Illness, Mental Health By the Numbers, 
https://www.nami.org/mhstats (``19.1% of U.S. adults experienced mental 
illness in 2018 (47.6 million people)'').
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    Despite these numbers, few people in prison actually 
receive appropriate mental health services while serving a 
prison sentence.\44\ Researchers point to insufficient 
screening and limited resources as explanations for the paucity 
of mental health services in prisons.\45\ One study showed that 
only 52 percent of inmates who were taking medication for a 
mental health condition prior to incarceration actually 
received medication during their period of incarceration.\46\ 
Without proper medication, these individuals were more likely 
to have disciplinary problems while incarcerated and the 
resulting punishment, including solitary confinement, can 
exacerbate these mental health conditions.\47\
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    \44\Jennifer M. Reingle Gonzalez, & Nadine M. Connell, Mental 
Health and Prisoners: Identifying Barriers to Mental Health Treatment 
and Medication Continuity, Am. J. of Pub. Health, Vol. 104. No. 12 
(2014).
    \45\Id.
    \46\Id.
    \47\Id.
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    Returning citizens with mental health conditions often do 
not fare any better once they are released. Many corrections 
institutions do not assist those about to be released to make 
arrangements for their care upon release.\48\ Without these 
preparations, many recently released prisoners leave 
corrections facilities without referrals to mental or physical 
health providers in their communities or even an adequate 
supply of necessary medication.\49\
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    \48\Kamala Malik-Kane, Returning Home Illinois Policy Brief, Health 
and Prisoner Reentry, Urban Inst. 2-3 (Aug. 2005), https://
www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/42876/311214-Returning-
Home-Illinois-Policy-Brief-Health-and-Prisoner-Reentry.PDF.
    \49\Jeffrey Draine, & Daniel Herman, Critical Time Intervention for 
Reentry From Prison for Persons with Mental Illness, Psychiatric 
Services 1-2 (Dec. 2007), https://ps.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/
10.1176/ps.2007.58.12.1577.
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    When returning individuals do not receive appropriate 
mental health treatment in prison,and are released without a 
plan for follow-up care, they are at higher risk of recidivism.\50\ For 
those with a diagnosed mental health disorder, a 2014 study showed, the 
rates of recidivism were between 50 to 230 percent higher than for 
people without a mental health diagnosis.\51\
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    \50\See e.g. Christine Herman, Most Inmates With Mental Illness 
Still Wait For Decent Care, NPR (Feb. 3, 2019), https://www.npr.org/
sections/health-shots/2019/02/03/690872394/most-inmates-with-mental-
illness-still-wait-for-decent-care.
    \51\Gonzalez & Connell, Mental Health and Prisoners, supra note 43.
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    B. RECENT EFFORTS TO EASE REENTRY FOR THE FORMERLY INCARCERATED

    In recent years, governmental organizations have recognized 
that targeting services to returning citizens results in lower 
rates of recidivism leading to safer and stronger communities. 
Both on the national level and in the states there have been 
significant efforts to provide services specifically to 
recently released persons. Congress' effort to assist and 
promote reentry programs nationwide is codified in the Second 
Chance Act.
    In 2008, President George W. Bush signed into law the 
Second Chance Act.\52\ This landmark bipartisan piece of 
legislation authorized grants to government agencies and 
nonprofit organizations to provide housing, employment 
assistance, substance abuse treatment, and other related 
services to returning citizens with the goal of reducing 
recidivism.\53\ As originally enacted, the law authorized $165 
million for federal, state, and local agencies, as well as for 
non-profit organizations working on prisoner reentry.\54\ Since 
2009, more than 800 grants have been awarded to various 
entities to provide reentry services.\55\
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    \52\Second Chance Act of 2007: Community Safety Through Recidivism 
Prevention, Pub. L. No. 110-199 (2008), 34 U.S.C. Sec.  60501 (2018).
    \53\Id.
    \54\Second Chance Act, supra note 52.
    \55\Nat. Reentry Resource Ctr., The Second Chance Act: Fact Sheet 
(Apr. 2018), https://csgjusticecenter.org/jc/publications/fact-sheet-
the-second-chance-act/; Second Chance Act, supra note 51.
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    Congress most recently reauthorized the Second Chance Act 
in the First Step Act of 2018 and authorized $85 million 
through 2023.\56\ While the Second Chance Act grants have been 
awarded to various entities to provide reentry services, a 
large portion of the grants have been distributed to state and 
county entities.\57\ The Second Chance Act has highlighted the 
importance of funding reentry programs and has awarded numerous 
grants to organizations, but many returning citizens still have 
a hard time accessing critical reentry services. For example, 
in many cities, reentry programs are located in different 
places, sometimes physically far from each other, making it 
difficult to obtain all the needed services, such as job 
training and mental health treatment, in an expeditious and 
efficient manner.
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    \56\First Step Act of 2018, Pub. L. No. 115-391 (2018).
    \57\See e.g., Nat. Reentry Resource Ctr., The Second Chance Act 
(July 2018), https://csgjusticecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/
July-2018_SCA_factsheet.pdf.
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                                Hearings

    In compliance with section 103(i) of House Resolution 6, on 
February 27, 2020, the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and 
Homeland Security held a hearing entitled, ``Returning 
Citizens: Challenges and Opportunities for Reentry,'' that 
highlighted the number of challenges formerly incarcerated 
people face upon their release. The Subcommittee heard 
testimony concerning the difficulty assessing stable house, 
obtaining mental health and drug treatment, and securing 
employment. Members questioned the panel of experts on the 
``one-stop shop'' model. The testimony solicited formed the 
basis of this legislation.

                        Committee Consideration

    On September 15, 2020, the Committee met in open session 
and ordered the bill as an amendment in the nature of a 
substitute, H.R. 8161, favorably reported, by a voice vote, a 
quorum being present.

                            Committee Votes

    No record votes occurred during the Committee's 
consideration of H.R. 8161.

                      Committee Oversight Findings

    In compliance with clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules 
of the House of Representatives, the Committee advises that the 
findings and recommendations of the Committee, based on 
oversight activities under clause 2(b)(1) of rule X of the 
Rules of the House of Representatives, are incorporated in the 
descriptive portions of this report.

  New Budget Authority and Tax Expenditures and Congressional Budget 
                          Office Cost Estimate

    With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(2) of rule 
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section 
308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and with respect 
to requirements of clause (3)(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules 
of the House of Representatives and section 402 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has requested 
but not received a cost estimate for this bill from the 
Director of Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The Committee 
has requested but not received from the Director of the CBO a 
statement as to whether this bill contains any new budget 
authority, spending authority, credit authority, or an increase 
or decrease in revenues or tax expenditures.

                    Duplication of Federal Programs

    No provision of H.R. 8161 establishes or reauthorizes a 
program of the Federal government known to be duplicative of 
another federal program, a program that was included in any 
report from the Government Accountability Office to Congress 
pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139, or a program 
related to a program identified in the most recent Catalog of 
Federal Domestic Assistance. The One Stop Shop grants are a 
supplement to those authorized in the Second Chance Act.

                    Performance Goals and Objectives

    The Committee states that pursuant to clause 3(c)(4) of 
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, H.R. 
8161 contains explicit performance metrics. It contains an 
authorization that would allow the Office of Justice Programs 
to contract with a nonprofit specializing in analyzing data 
with regard to reentry services to support grantees with data 
collection and provide administrative support to grantees so 
that they may fully abide by the grant conditions. Pursuant to 
the bill, the Attorney General would be required to provide an 
annual report to Congress that includes data and performance 
goals on those served by the one-stop centers.

                          Advisory on Earmarks

    In accordance with clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, H.R. 8161 does not contain any 
congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff 
benefits as defined in clause 9(d), 9(e), or 9(f) of rule XXI.

                      Section-by-Section Analysis

    The following discussion describes the bill as reported by 
the Committee.
    Sec. 1. Short Title. This section establishes the short 
title as the ``The One Stop Shop Community Reentry Program Act 
of 2020.''
    Sec. 2. Community Center Grant Program. Section 2 of the 
Act authorizes the Attorney General to make implementation 
grants available for creating one-stop community reentry 
centers.
    Application Requirements. Subsection (b) outlines the 
application requirements for grantees to apply for one-stop 
community reentry center grants. To qualify, all applicants 
must collaborate with community leaders who work with the 
formerly incarcerated and their families to identify the needs 
of those who the grantee proposes to serve and to determine how 
to best meet their needs. Applicants must also provide plans to 
account for beneficiary transportation from service to service 
if it's feasible, outline a process by which the grantee can 
continue to support beneficiaries if they move, and describe 
how recipients of grant funding plan to comply with grant 
performance objectives.
    Preference. Subsection (c) would require the Attorney 
General to award these grants to applicants who intend to 
employ those who have been formerly convicted or incarcerated 
and have completed any court-ordered supervision, to the extent 
allowable by law, and to employ such formerly incarcerated 
individuals in positions of responsibility.
    Evaluation and Report. Subsection (d) instructs the 
Attorney General to contract with a nonprofit specializing in 
analyzing data with regard to reentry services to support 
grantees with data collection and provide administrative 
support to grantees so that they may fully abide by the grant 
conditions. Pursuant to this section, the Attorney General 
would be required to provide an annual report to Congress that 
includes data on those served by the one-stop centers.
    Definitions. Subsection (e) provides definitions for 
eligible entity; one stop community reentry center; reentry 
services; community leader; and success rate. The definition of 
the term reentry services includes job placement, job training, 
vocational and technical training placement, housing placement 
assistance, assistance to apply for benefits or entitlements, 
financial counseling, substance abuse treatment, and case 
management.
    Authorization for Appropriations. Subsection (f) authorizes 
the appropriation of $10 million each fiscal year from 2021 to 
2025 and requires that the Attorney General equitably award the 
grants among the geographical regions and between urban and 
rural populations, including Indian Tribes.
    Sec. 3. Grants for Assistance Hotlines. Section 3 of the 
bill authorizes the Attorney General to make grants to States 
and units of local government to establish 24/7 reentry service 
assistance hotlines. This section would require that each grant 
award last no more than five years. The Attorney General is 
authorized to expend $1.5 million for each fiscal year from 
2021 to 2025 for the reentry hotline program. In awarding 
grants, this section also requires the Attorney General to give 
preference, to the extent authorized by law, to applicants who 
employ those who have been formerly convicted or incarcerated 
and have completed any court-ordered supervision.
    Hotline Requirements. Subsection (b) outlines the grant 
requirements. Under this section, funded hotlines must direct 
callers to reentry services, keep personally identifiable 
information confidential unless otherwise authorized by 
callers, and be accessible to those who are limited English 
proficient and who are individuals with disabilities. These 
hotlines would also have the ability to engage with individuals 
over text. Finally, this subsection would require that hotline 
operators be trained and knowledgeable about reentry services 
and other relevant information.

                                  [all]