Document

www.MNSecondChanceCoalition.org

Criminal Justice Reform -Building a Road to Restoration

The United States’ incarceration rate is 8 times the world average.

One in every 31 adults in America is in the corrections system – one in 26 in Minnesota, up from one in 98 in 1982.

Minnesota has the 8th highest rate of people under correctional control in the nation, a 278% increase since 1982.

More than 2 million children have a parent in prison.

1 in 5 African American men cannot vote because they are incarcerated, on probation or on parole.

1 in 5 Americans has some form of a criminal record.

We organized the first Second

Chance Day on the Hill in February of 2008, as a way to bring community members to the

capitol and encourage the

passage of legislation to help

ex-offenders safely re-enter their

communities.

The Minnesota Second Chance Coalition is a group of over 50 organizations that collaboratively advocate for policies and practices that allow those who have committed crimes to redeem themselves, fully support themselves and their families, and contribute to their full potential; creating safer, stronger, and more just communities.

PartnersAmerican Indian OICAmicus, Inc.Antioch Christian CenterBarbara Schneider Foundation Council on Crime and Justice Central MN Re-Entry ProjectCivicMedia/MinnesotaChildren's Defense Fund MinnesotaCriminal Justice Working GroupConstruction Career Training ProgramCorrectional Transition Services, Inc.180 Degrees, Inc.Elim Transitional Housing, Inc.Emerge Community Development La Familia Guidance CenterFreedom Works Friends for a Nonviolent WorldGoodwill/Easter Seals Minnesota Greater Mpls. Council of ChurchesHiredJacob Wetterling Resource CenterJason Sole Consulting Juel FairbanksJoint Religious Legislative CoalitionL.I.F.E in Recovery MAD DADS MinneapolisMinneapolis Urban League

MN Community Action PartnershipMN Association of Criminal Defense LawyersMN Community Corrections AssociationMinnesota Fathers & Families NetworkMN Catholic Conference Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless MN Juvenile Justice Advisory CommitteeMinnesota State Public DefenderMN Teen and Adult ChallengeNational Alliance on Mental Illness of MNNetwork for Better FuturesNOLA Criminal Defense InvestigationNorthside Policy Action CoalitionPathways CounselingPeace Foundation People Escaping Poverty ProjectPrison Policy InitiativeProject for Pride in LivingRS Eden Rebuild Resources The Reentry Clinic at William Mitchell Take Action MinnesotaTwin Ports Action Coalition Wilder Foundation JobsFirst ProgramYWCA of St. Paul

ENSURE THAT EVERYONE, REGARDLESS OF MEANS OR BACKGROUND, IS TREATED EQUALLY AND FAIRLY THROUGH EVERY PART OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.

MAXIMIZE THE ABILITY OF RETURNING CITIZENS TO ACCESS EMPLOYMENT, HOUSING, AND EDUCATION, AND TO BECOME FULLY CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS OF THEIR COMMUNITIES.

IMPACT OF CRIMINAL RECORDS

• Increased Record Access• Increased Record Use by Decision Makers• Stigma and Perceived Liability• Growth and Severity of Statutory Barriers

– DHS now conducts 500,000 background studies per year– Disqualifications are not limited to convictions – preponderance of the evidence

finding, lifetime, 15, 10 and 7 year disqualifications.• Use of Juvenile Records• Limited Remedies• 87% of the state's 70,000 disenfranchised live in

the community, hold jobs, and pay taxes.

ENSURE THAT JUVENILE OFFENDERS ARE NOT LIMITED IN THEIR ABILITY TO BECOME SUCCESSFUL ADULTS.

Juvenile Records Access

• Department of Human Services Licensing• Extended Jurisdiction Juvenile• 16-17 Year Olds Charged With Felony• Consensual Juvenile Sex Crimes• Juvenile Programs

FULLY DIAGNOSE AND TREAT MENTAL ILLNESS AND CHEMICAL ADDICTION.

60 percent of people incarcerated in prisons and jails report symptoms of a mental illness.

About 70-80 percent of all incarcerated individuals have a drug or alcohol problem.

LIMIT THE ADVERSE IMPACT OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ON CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.

Do Conservatives Support a Prison for Every

Problem?

Do Liberals?

Bipartisan Reforms• “Ban the Box” 2009• “Safe Hiring” 2009•“Ban the Box” 2013•Juvenile Records Reform 2013

Right on Crime Enters the Field Former Governor Jeb Bush,

Speaker Newt Gingrich, Former Drug Czar Bill Bennett, Grover Norquist, and Other Conservative Leaders Endorse Right on Crime Statement of Principles

Statement Supports Reining in Growth of Non-Traditional Criminal Laws, Cost-Effective Alternatives for Nonviolent Offenders, Emphasis on Restitution and Treatment, and Performance Measures.

Restore the Vote MNRestoring the right to vote for those living in the community will make

the law more clear and equitable, save government resources, and encourage positive participation ..

Public Safety/LegalLegal Rights Center

MN Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers MN Community Corrections Association

MN Corrections AssociationMN County Attorneys Association

State Public Defender 

Faith Based OrganizationsISAIAH

Jewish Community ActionJoint Religious Legislative Coalition

MICAHMN Catholic ConferenceMN Council of Churches

MN Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Alliance

Restore the Vote MNDirect Service OrganizationsAfrican Immigrant Services American Indian OIC Goodwill/Easter Seals MNIntegrated Community Solutions, Inc.L.I.F.E. In Recovery Mad Dads MinneapolisMN Adult and Teen ChallengeMN Community Action PartnershipMN Recovery Connection The Neighborhood HubOpen Access Connections  St. Stephen's Human ServicesTwin Cities Rise! Civic Engagement and Advocacy OrganizationsAfrican American Leadership ForumACLU MN Children's Defense Fund-MNCitizens for Election Integrity MNCommon Cause MN

Council on Crime and Justice Growth & JusticeLand Stewardship Project League of Women Voters MNMN AFL-CIOMN Coalition for the HomelessMN Council on FoundationsMN Council of NonprofitsMN Innocence ProjectMN Second Chance Coalition MNSTEPMPIRGNAACP St. Paul BranchOrganizing Apprenticeship ProjectPeople For the American Way Prison Policy InitiativeR3 CollaborativeSEIU Local 26TakeAction MinnesotaTen25FiftyWorld Without Genocide

www.RestoretheVoteMN.org

Resources www.MNSecondChanceCoalition.org

www.RestoretheVoteMN.org

www.rightoncrime.com

Criminal Records [email protected]

Building a Road to Restoration