Second Chance Day on the Hill

The Second Chance Day on the Hill, which took place Wednesday February 13th in the Capitol Rotunda, is a gathering of ex-offenders, community members, and supporters of justice system reform who will appeal to legislators the importance of second chances for thousands of Minnesotans under correctional supervision. The stigma of a conviction has proven unfavorable when attempting to qualify for housing, employment, and even educational opportunities. Second Chance Day on the Hill aims to draw attention to giving those with a criminal record a real chance to become productive citizens, by decreasing systemic barriers that may lead one to return to prison and reviewing certain collateral sanctions that continue to punish people even after they've served their sentence. To date, more than six thousand people are released from Minnesota prisons every year, yet two-thirds return within three years of release for committing a new crime.

Story produced by Dan Gordon; voices in this segment include: Dan Cain of RS Eden; Rondell Fletcher, an ex-offender looking for work; Kizzy Mason of the Council on Crime and Justice; Charles Jenson, Board Member of the Barbara Schneider Foundation; and Justice Advocate Guy Gambill