Corrections_Today_November_December_2019

Policies and Resolutions

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the American Correctional Association (ACA) sup- ports the Second Chance Act, which helps state and local governments reduce recidivism, in- crease public safety, and respond better to the growing numbers of people released from prison and jail returning to the communities; and now BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ACA sup- ports the full funding of provisions of the Second Chance Act; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ACA sup- ports the reallocation of all funds that may revert to the treasury from state and local correctional programs for the purpose of funding other cor- rectional programs, particularly those programs authorized by the Second Chance Act. SUPPORTING CLARIFICATION OF THE ‘EXCLUSION CLAUSE’ IN SECTION 1 OF THE THIRTEENTH AMENDMENT OF THE U.S. CONSTITUTION WHEREAS , Section 1 of the Thirteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution provides that “neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States”; and WHEREAS , the American Correctional Associ- ation decries the historical applicability of slavery an involuntary servitude as acceptable punishment for those convicted of crimes; and WHEREAS , in its “Code of Ethics” the Ameri- can Correctional Association expresses that it “expects of its members unfailing honesty and respect for the dignity and individuality of human beings”; and WHEREAS , the “Declaration of Principles” of the American Correctional Association stipulates

Editor’s Note: The following resolutions and public correctional policies printed below were reviewed by the Res- olutions and Policies Committee, amended and then approved for adoption by the ACA Board of Governors and Delegate Assembly at the 2019 149 th ACA Congress of Correction in Boston, Massachusetts. Supporting the Second Chance Act and Full Funding of Its Authorized Programs WHEREAS , the primary goal of the Second Chance Act is to help states and communities allevi- ate crowding in their jails and prisons by reducing recidivism through an improved reentry process; and WHEREAS , the Act provides grants to state and local governments that may be used to pro- mote the safe and successful reintegration of individuals who have been incarcerated; and WHEREAS , the Act provides grants to nonprofit organizations that may be used for men- toring of adult offenders or providing transitional services for reintegration; and WHEREAS , the Act provides grants to states for reentry research; and WHEREAS , the Act provides funding for programs under the workplace and community transition training for the Incarcerated Youth Of- fenders Act; and WHEREAS , the Act creates an interagency task force to identify existing reentry resources, de- velop interagency initiatives and a national reentry research agenda, and report recommendations to Congress; and WHEREAS , the Act establishes a national resource center to collect and disseminate best practices and provides training and support per- taining to reentry; and now 149 th Congress of Correction

58 — November/December 2019 Corrections Today