Hey John, 

Think about the worst thing you did as an 18-year-old. Is it something you'd do as a 70-year-old? Believe it or not, mistakes people made as an 18-year-old—even things like drug possession or minor theft—have made it difficult for them to get jobs or rent an apartment as senior citizens.

The criminal legal system is far too large, and sadly, incarceration only represents a small fraction of the system’s long reach and impact.

One in two U.S. adults has an immediate family member who has spent at least one night in jail or prison—and one in five U.S. children has a parent who has been incarcerated.

During Second Chance Month, we recognize and seek to undo the numerous and often unnecessary barriers that people with criminal records face—barriers that can prevent people from accessing education, employment, healthcare, and housing.

For the 70-100 million Americans with a criminal record, these life necessities are especially hard to come by because of the collateral consequences that accompany a record, limiting their chances of succeeding. 

Formerly incarcerated individuals deserve a fair chance of succeeding in society.

This year’s Second Chance Month takes place in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, which underlines the fact that incarcerated people and people with records are uniquely vulnerable to public health crises like this one.

At Generation Progress, we are keenly aware that young people are overrepresented at nearly every stage of the criminal legal system.

That’s why this month we’re asking you to tell your legislators to give them the second chance they all deserve.

Young people aged 18 to 35 make up about 30% of the US adult population, but more than 60% of adult arrests and 42% of prison admissions—and the collateral consequences of a record often last a lifetime, disproportionately impacting young people, who have the vast majority of their lives still ahead of them.

In order to ensure those with existing arrest and conviction records aren’t burdened by these collateral consequences, we must implement fair hiring practices and Clean Slate policies.

We must also work to end mass criminalization and mass incarceration so that fewer people enter the criminal legal system and face these problems in the future.

Your state legislators have the power to act on this issue. Tell them to shrink the criminal legal system and give justice-involved individuals a chance to reach their full potential.

People deserve second chances. If you believe this to be as true as I do, please take action by emailing your legislators today.

Brent J. Cohen
Executive Director
Generation Progress

P.S. check out the issue brief we recently released on this topic.