The Development of Metrics to Assess Outcomes for the Second Chance Act Grant Program -- A Response to Title V of the Second Chance Reauthorization Act of 2018

• NCJ Number: 253097
• Date Published: July 2019
• Length: 6 pages
• Agencies: NIJ
• Publication Type: Report (Technical Assistance); Program/Project Evaluation; Legislative/Regulatory Material

Annotation

This report presents metrics for assessing outcomes for the grant programs authorized under the federal Second Chance Reauthorization Act (SCA) of 2018, whose goal is to improve opportunities for adult and juvenile offenders returning to their communities from custodial facilities.

Abstract

The SCA aims to improve public safety by breaking the cycle of criminal recidivism and improving outcomes for people returning to their communities from prisons, jails, and juvenile facilities. The SCA authorizes the awarding of federal grants to government agencies and nonprofit organizations to provide reentry services and programs, including employment and housing assistance, victim support, and substance abuse treatment. In addition, SCA funds may be used to support general criminal justice system improvements. The U.S. Justice Department's National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is mandated under the SCA legislation to consult with relevant stakeholders in identifying outcome measures for SCA grant programs, as well as the metrics by which the achievement of intended outcomes is to be determined. In performing this mandate, which was to be completed by June 21, 2019, NIJ conducted outreach and sought input from just over 24 relevant stakeholders to obtain their feedback on the proposed SCA measures. Including researchers and academics with expertise in research and evaluation, with some of them having successfully implemented SCA awards. The measures provided in the table presented in this report includes outcome and performance measures used to assess whether a desired objective is being met, along with examples of the types of data to be collected by SCA grantees in determining performance and outcomes. 1 table