Second Chance Month 2024 News and Resources
Great news! For the seventh straight year, the White House has proclaimed April as Second Chance Month! Several jurisdictions have also done so. View all of our Second Chance Month state resolutions and proclamations here.
April is Second Chance Month
Every person has dignity and potential. But approximately 1 in 3 American adults has a criminal record, which limits their access to education, jobs, housing, and other things they need to reach that potential.
Since launching the first Second Chance Month® in 2017, Prison Fellowship® has spearheaded the nationwide effort to raise awareness about these barriers and unlock brighter futures for people with a criminal record.
Together we can open the door for more than 70 million Americans to live up to their potential after paying their debt to society!
Second Chance Month State Resolutions & Proclamations
View all of our Second Chance Month state resolutions and proclamations here.
GET INVOLVED
Together with our partners, we’re raising awareness of the importance of second chances.
BECOME A PARTNER
Let’s partner together to advance and celebrate second chances through events, social media messages, and more. Sign up for tools and resources to join us in the effort to break down barriers and create opportunities for second chances.
Become a PartnerYOUR CHURCH CAN BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION
There are families in your church and community navigating the shame, stigma, and unfair legal barriers that can accompany a criminal record. Become a beacon of hope. Register as a Second Chance Month partner and share Jermaine Wilson’s second-chance journey from prison cell to mayor’s office.
Explore what it means to be a partner.
Become a Church PartnerSPREAD THE WORD ON SOCIAL MEDIA
We welcome you to help spread the word about Second Chance Month and unlock brighter futures for Americans who have repaid their debt to society. Our toolkit includes posts and downloadable graphics.
Get the ToolkitSHARE YOUR SECOND CHANCE STORY
Are you a returning citizen who received a second chance? Did you face obstacles to finding jobs, housing, or education? Is your organization passionate about providing second chances?
Share Your Story
“We believe the approximately 70 million Americans with criminal records—that’s 1 in 3 people—are more than their worst choices and affirm their God-given dignity and potential in life.”
Heather Rice-Minus, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF PRISON FELLOWSHIP
Stand up for second chances
You can be a champion for second chances! Send a letter to Congress today asking them to remove barriers for men and women with a criminal record who have faced their consequences and want a brighter future.
CELEBRATING SECOND CHANCES EVERY APRIL
No life is beyond God's reach. Just as God forgives our sins and offers us a second chance, the Bible shows us that we can offer a second chance to those who have paid their debt to society. People with a past can still have a bright future, and their families and communities stand to benefit from their contributions.
Prison Fellowship and its partners are working to reduce barriers keeping Americans with a criminal record from successfully rejoining society. We’re also raising awareness of the importance of second chances through targeted press campaigns, policy briefings, prayer walks, "Second Chance Sunday" services held by churches, and coordinated petition and social media campaigns.
If you share our passion for breaking down barriers and creating opportunities for second chances, we invite you to partner with us and celebrate April as Second Chance Month!