Prison Fellowship’s Statement After United States Senate Declares April 2024 as Second Chance Month
May 06 2024 - 11:25AM
Prison Fellowship, the nation’s largest Christian nonprofit serving
currently and formerly incarcerated people and their families,
released the following statement after the United States Senate
declared April 2024 as Second Chance Month. The resolution was led
by Senators Klobuchar (D-MN), Cramer (R-ND), Capito (R-WV) and
Markey (D-MA).
“With this gesture, the U.S. Senate has recognized that people
with a criminal record have great capacity to give back to their
communities,” said Heather Rice-Minus, president and CEO of Prison
Fellowship. “April’s celebration of Second Chances must be followed
by action to remove excessive hurdles to employment, housing,
healthcare and education so people can have the opportunity to
reach their God-given potential.”
“This bipartisan action by the U.S. Senate signals that America
truly is the land of opportunity, redemption and second chances,”
said Kate Trammell, Prison Fellowship vice president of legal and
advocacy. “Still, there is work to be done to unlock second chances
for the approximately 70 million Americans with a criminal record
who wish to return and contribute to their communities.”
Background
- Prison Fellowship
founded the movement to celebrate April as Second Chance Month in
2017.
- The United States
Senate’s Second Chance Month declaration follows presidential
proclamations in 2024, 2023, 2022 and 2021 as
well as in the previous administration.
- The United States
Senate also passed Second Chance Month resolutions in 2023, 2022,
2021, 2018 and 2017.
- In 2024, 23 states
and the District of Columbia joined Prison Fellowship and nearly
1,000 partners to proclaim April as Second Chance
Month and highlight the barriers facing the 1 in 3 American
adults with a criminal record.
Prison FellowshipPrison Fellowship is the nation's largest
Christian nonprofit equipping the Church to serve currently and
formerly incarcerated people and their families, and to advocate
for justice and human dignity both inside and outside of prison.
With nearly 50 years of experience helping restore men and women
behind bars, Prison Fellowship advocates for federal and state
criminal justice reforms that transform those responsible for
crime, validate victims, and encourage communities to play a role
in creating a safe, redemptive, and just society.
Interviews are available by contacting Susan
Merriman at 303.775.2634 or susan_merriman@pfm.org.
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Susan Merriman
Prison Fellowship
703-554-8698
susan_merriman@pfm.org