Prison Fellowship

Remember Those in Prison

  • DONATE
    • One-Time
    • Monthly
    • Angel Tree
    • Other Ways to Give
  • GET INVOLVED
    • Volunteer
    • Subscribe
    • Angel Tree Christmas
    • Pray With Us
    • Justice Action Center
    • Share on Social
  • STORIES
    • Stories
    • Blog
    • Videos
    • The Restoration Series [Videos]
  • WHAT WE DO
    • Why Help Prisoners?
    • What We Do
    • In-Prison
      • Prison Fellowship Academy
      • In-Prison Programs
      • Hope Events
      • Inside Journal
      • Women’s Ministry
      • Create: New Beginnings
    • Angel Tree
      • Register your church or group for Angel Tree
      • Prison Fellowship Angel Tree
      • Angel Tree Christmas
      • Angel Tree Camping
      • Angel Tree Sports Camps
    • Justice Reform
      • Second Chance Month
      • Sign the Justice Declaration
      • Get a Copy of Outrageous Justice
    • Warden Exchange
    • Church Partners
    • Corporate Partnerships
    • Preparing Prisoners for Reentry
  • RESOURCES
    • Subscribe to Our Email
    • Support for Friends and Family of Prisoners
      • Coping with Incarceration
      • Resources for Prisoners
      • Resources for Children of Prisoners
      • Supporting Successful Prisoner Reentry
    • Resources for Churches and Volunteers
      • In-Prison Ministry
      • Reentry Ministry
      • Family Ministry
      • Justice Reform
      • Mentoring Ministry
    • Resources for Angel Tree® Church Coordinators
    • Resources for Chaplains
    • Resources for D.O.C.
    • Justice Reform Resources
    • Share on Social
    • For Media Outlets
  • ABOUT US
    • Leadership
    • Chuck Colson
      • The Charles Colson Hope Awards
    • Our Beliefs
    • Financials
      • 2021 Annual Report
    • Employment
    • Contact Us
    • In The News

Prison Fellowship’s Statement on Biden Administration’s clemency grants and reentry initiatives

April 26, 2022 by Prison Fellowship

Prison Fellowship’s Statement on Biden Administration’s clemency grants and reentry initiatives

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Prison Fellowship®, the nation’s largest Christian nonprofit serving prisoners, former prisoners, and their families, released the following statement after the Biden administration’s announcement of 75 commutations and a set of twenty policy initiatives to promote access to economic opportunity for men and women who have left prison.

"Access to work allows men and women who have served their time to fully pursue a journey of redemption, restoration, and renewal," said James Ackerman, President and CEO of Prison Fellowship. "As Second Chance® Month draws to a close, we are thrilled to see President Biden align word and deed and pursue critical policy tools to better ensure the 70 million American adults with a criminal record can live out their God-given potential through gainful employment."

"We also commend the President’s use of his clemency powers to correct punishments that did not fit the crime and honor the pursuit of redemption behind bars," said Heather Rice-Minus, Senior Vice President of Advocacy and Church Mobilization. "It is our prayer and hope that robust use of executive clemency and bold removal of barriers to success in reentry become a sustained tradition of Second Chance Month in the years to come."

BACKGROUND

  • The Biden administration announced twenty policy initiatives to advance opportunity for returning citizens, including a new workforce development partnership between the federal prison system and the Department of Labor and a comprehensive review of housing restrictions for people with a criminal record by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
  • The White House also highlighted the recent invitation of 73 new colleges and universities to participate in the Department of Education’s Second Chance Pell Experimental Site Initiative, which allows a select number of institutions to receive provide higher education in prison using federal dollars. Prison Fellowship played a critical role in the restoration of Pell Grant eligibility for incarcerated students, which is expected to be implemented in July 2023.
  • The announcement follows President Biden’s proclamation of April 2022 as Second Chance Month, building on proclamations from 2021 and the previous administration. This year, 25 states and the District of Columbia have joined Prison Fellowship and over 700 organizations in proclaiming April as Second Chance Month® and highlighting the barriers facing the one in three American adults with a criminal record.

SECOND CHANCE MONTH 2022 EVENTS

  • Prison Fellowship’s Virtual Second Chance Month Gala will be taking place on Thursday, April 28 at 7pm EDT. Businesses, communities, churches, and families will gather to hear transformation stories and conversations highlighting the need for second chances.
  • A final Second Chance Month Twitter chat will happen on April 27 at 1pm EDT. Criminal justice experts will discuss second chances and safer communities. Follow @JusticeReform and search #SecondChanceMonth.
  • Road to Second Chances Prayer Walk will take place on Saturday, April 30 in Oklahoma City. Local speakers will share personal stories of living out their second chance, and Oklahoma faith leaders will respond in prayer.

ABOUT PRISON FELLOWSHIP

Prison Fellowship is the nation's largest nonprofit, serving prisoners, former prisoners, and their families, and a leading voice for criminal justice reform.  With more than 40 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.

For interview requests, please contact Jim Forbes, Prison Fellowship's Director of Communications, at (703) 554-8540 or email him at [email protected].

Filed Under: Advocacy & Reentry, Press Releases, Prison Fellowship News & Updates

SELECT A TOPIC

  • Advocacy & Reentry
  • Angel Tree
  • Families of Prisoners
  • Feature Stories
  • From the CEO
  • Hope Events
  • Inside Journal
  • Press Releases
  • Prison & Prisoners
  • Prison Fellowship Academy
  • Prison Fellowship International
  • Prison Fellowship News & Updates
  • Reentry
  • Second Chance Month
  • Uncategorized
  • Video
  • Warden Exchange

MOST POPULAR

Second Chance Hiring: The Benefits of Employing Returning Citizens

April 13, 2022

Fifteen Minutes with Chuck Colson

April 12, 2022

An Unlikely Friendship Behind Bars [Video]

April 7, 2022

LATEST VIDEOS

WATCH ALL VIDEOS

JOIN OUR ONLINE COMMUNITY

FACEBOOK
TWITTER
INSTAGRAM
YOUTUBE
LINKEDIN
PF®
PFM®

RECOMMENDED LINKS

  • Ways to Donate
  • Inspirational Stories
  • Angel Tree Program
  • Prison Fellowship Academy
  • Justice Reform

RESOURCES

  • For Families & Friends of Prisoners
  • For Churches & Angel Tree Volunteers
  • For Media Outlets
  • For Wardens & Prison Officials

JOIN RESTORATION PARTNERS AND WITNESS GOD RESTORE LIVES

Restoration Partners give monthly to bring life-changing prison ministry programs to incarcerated men and women across the country.

 

JOIN NOW
  • CONTACT US
  • EMPLOYMENT
  • PRIVACY
  • FINANCIALS
© 2022 PRISON FELLOWSHIP®

Angel Tree®, Angel Tree Camping®, Angel Tree Sports ClinicTM, Angel Tree Sports CampsTM, and Warden Exchange® are programs of Prison Fellowship®.