Evaluation of Second Chance Act Demonstration Projects
The Second Chance Act of 2007 (Public Law 110-199) authorizes awarding federal grants to government agencies and nonprofit organizations to provide employment assistance, substance abuse treatment, housing, family programming, mentoring, victim support and other services to individuals returning to the community from prison or jail. The goals of the Second Chance Act are to increase reentry programming and improve outcomes for offenders returning to their families and communities.
The Second Chance Act directs NIJ to evaluate the effectiveness of offender reentry demonstration projects funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). Since fiscal year 2010, NIJ has awarded approximately $15 million in Second Chance Act funds for reentry-related research. See the table “Ongoing NIJ Evaluations of Second Chance Act Projects” for more information on NIJ-funded Second Chance Act grants.
| Title | Awardee | Award Amount | Award Number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evaluation of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention FY2010 Second Chance Act Juvenile Offender Reentry Demonstration Projects | Urban Institute | $1,997,100 | 2012-RY-BX-0013 |
| Description: The Urban Institute is conducting a comprehensive evaluation of the FY 2010 Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Second Chance Act projects. Researchers are using a mixed-method evaluation strategy that includes evaluability assessments of the five sites participating in the evaluation, process and fidelity evaluations of each of the five sites, and a two-tiered impact evaluation of the sites as appropriate. | |||
| Evaluation of the FY 2011 BJA Second Chance Act Adult Offender Reentry Demonstration Projects (Focus Area 1) | Urban Institute | $399,433 | 2012-R2-CX-0032 |
| Description: The Urban Institute is conducting an intensive, comprehensive six-month evaluability assessment (EA) of the eight BJA Second Chance Act adult offender reentry demonstration projects funded in FY2011. The EAs are reviewing each site’s capacity and readiness for evaluation across multiple domains and collecting supplemental information on training and technical assistance needs. | |||
| Evaluation of the FY2011 BJA Second Chance Act Adult Offender Reentry Demonstration Projects (Focus Area 2) | Research Triangle Institute | $2,934,589 | 2012-RY-BX-0001 |
| Description: RTI is assessing the implementation, effects and cost-effectiveness of eight adult reentry programs funded by BJA in FY2010 and FY2011. Researchers are assessing whether the programs achieved the primary goals of reducing recidivism and increasing public safety, as well as increasing employment and education opportunities, reducing violations of conditions of release, and other outcomes of interest. | |||
| An Evaluation of BJA Second Chance Act Adult Demonstration Projects | Social Policy Research Associates | $2,999,998 | 2010-RY-BX-0003 |
| Description: Social Policy Research Associates is conducting a 36-month evaluation of a subsample of 15 Second Chance Act adult demonstration sites funded by BJA in 2009. The evaluation includes impact, process and outcome analyses and cost assessments of reentry services provided by the sites. | |||
| An Evaluation of BJA’s Second Chance Act FY2010 State, Tribal and Local Reentry Courts Program | Northwest Professional Consortium, Inc. | $2,998,850 | 2010-RY-BX-0001 |
| Description: Northwest Professional Consortium, Inc., is conducting a 42-month multisite evaluation of the program. Researchers are using
a process evaluation to document and compare program models and implementation; an impact evaluation to examine rearrests,
reconvictions, violations and returns to incarceration using pre/post archival data; and cost-benefit analyses to calculate
avoided public costs by comparing program interventions to “business-as-usual” conditions. Read an interim report on Program Characteristics and Preliminary Themes from Year 1. |
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| An Evaluation of the Multisite Demonstration Field Experiment: What Works in Reentry Research | MDRC | $3,000,000 | 2010-RY-BX-0002 |
| Description: In an effort to provide rigorous evidence of what works in reentry, MDRC is evaluating promising reentry interventions, strategies and programs. Reentering offenders are randomly assigned to receive the experimental treatment or to receive “business-as-usual” reentry services (or some other clearly defined control treatment). The evaluation is funded by NIJ in partnership with BJA as part of NIJ’s Demonstration Field Experiment program. | |||
Note
[1] Learn more about the Second Chance Act:
