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National Reentry Week

Floor Speech

Date: April 29, 2016
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Criminal Justice

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Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize National Reentry Week--reentry after an individual has paid their debt to society. Eighty-five percent of individuals who are incarcerated eventually get out, and we need to make sure that they have access to a well-paying job and quality education when they return home.

Reentry programs work. Mr. Jerrel McCoy lives in south L.A. He is 45 years old and served 27 years in a California prison. Today Mr. McCoy works for SHIELDS for Families-Jericho Vocational Services, which works with formerly incarcerated individuals to help them secure and maintain employment to avoid going back to prison.

With the help of these reentry services, Mr. McCoy has purchased his first car and moved into an apartment. According to Mr. McCoy, reentry programs allowed him to apply skills developed during his incarceration, and he learned that he has gifts and potential. Today Mr. McCoy strives to offer these benefits to his clients.

Reentry services are smart and just.

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