[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 133, 116th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
Proclamation 9857 of March 29, 2019

Second Chance Month, 2019

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Americans have always believed in the power of redemption--that those
who have fallen can work toward brighter days ahead. Almost all of the
more than two million people in America's prisons will one day return to
their communities. In each case, they will have served their sentence
and earned the chance to take their places back in society. During
Second Chance Month, we draw attention to the challenges that former
inmates face and the steps we can take to ensure they have the
opportunity to become contributing members of society.
Inmates are often eager to leave behind the challenges presented by
incarceration. Too often, however, they find the transition to life
outside of prison to be daunting. If they are not able to find jobs and
housing and rebuild relationships with family and friends, they may find
it harder to escape the cycle of reoffending. Sadly, 5 out of 6 State
prisoners are rearrested within 9 years of their release, and more than
a third of former Federal prisoners will be rearrested within 5 years of
their release. In addition to the harm caused to the victims of crime,
these high recidivism rates place a significant financial burden on
taxpayers, deprive our labor force of productive workers, and leave
families without spouses, children, and parents.
My Administration is committed to helping former prisoners reenter
society as productive, law-abiding citizens. For this reason, I signed
into law the bipartisan FIRST STEP Act. This new legislation makes
several positive reforms to increase the likelihood of successful
prisoner reentry. The legislation provides improved opportunities for
inmates to engage in educational coursework and vocational training, and
establishes pilot mentorship programs. It also allows prisoners who
successfully complete evidence-based recidivism reduction programs to
earn time credits to apply toward prerelease custody or supervised
release, reducing their time in prison. Because maintaining family and
community ties is key to a successful reentry into society, the bill
includes provisions that allow inmates to be placed in facilities closer
to their home communities, facilitating family visitation during their
time of incarceration. Finally, the law makes adjustments to sentencing
rules that will make our criminal justice system more fair, reducing
penalties for certain drug offenders.
This month, we celebrate those who have exited the prison system and
successfully reentered society and renew our commitment to providing
support and resources that former inmates need to meet their
responsibilities, rediscover their self-worth, and benefit from the gift
of a second chance. We also express our sincere gratitude to all those
who play a significant role in helping reduce recidivism, including
faith-based and community organizations and employers willing to hire
workers notwithstanding a criminal history. By reducing recidivism and
putting former inmates on the path to success, we can reduce crime and
enhance the safety of our communities.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Con

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stitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April
2019 as Second Chance Month. I call on all Americans to commemorate this
month with events and activities that raise public awareness about
preventing crime and providing those who have completed their sentences
an opportunity for an honest second chance.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of
March, in the year of our Lord two thousand nineteen, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-
third.
DONALD J. TRUMP