Dear John, I hope you never wake up in a cell, knowing that a wrong move could mean you won't survive the day. I had to do just that for 33 years. I know firsthand what the opportunity of a second chance would mean for the men and women in prison who have made great strides in their personal growth and rehabilitation. If given the chance to reunite with their families, they could contribute to the healing, wellness, and wholeness of their communities. That’s why the White House proclamation marking April as Second Chance Month is so important. It recognizes that establishing a fair and equitable system of justice “requires eliminating exceedingly long sentences and mandatory minimums that keep people incarcerated longer than they should be.” I agree, and that is what compels me to advocate so fervently for second chances. I got my second chance through the First Step Act of 2018, and I will continue to use it to speak on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves. The First Step Implementation Act (S.1014) and The Covid-19 Safer Detention Act (S.312), would bring many people home by expanding eligibility for compassionate release to the oldest people in federal prisons and applying retroactive sentencing reforms enacted under the First Step Act. Both of these bills take a bipartisan approach to ensure more equity in the federal justice system. Please join me in celebrating Second Chance Month by taking action now to support second chances for people serving extreme sentences in federal prisons. | |
