UPCOMING KITCHEN RALLY TO ADDRESS SECOND CHANCE LEGISLATION

            HARRISBURG, April 1 — State Sen. Shirley Kitchen will hold her annual rally to advocate for real solutions for non-violent ex-offenders who are looking for a second chance to succeed, whether they are looking for employment, an education or even housing.

            The Second Chance Legislation Rally will take place on Tuesday, April 20 at 10 a.m. on the steps of the State Capitol in Harrisburg.

            “Too many hard working men and women are being denied jobs because of their past,” Kitchen said. “Sometimes, they are discriminated against for crimes they committed more than a decade ago. These individuals paid their debt to society and want to be productive citizens, but their past continues to follow them. It’s like they received a life sentence.”

            State law currently allows any employer to view and consider an applicant’s criminal history information when making hiring decisions. The law states that employers may only consider that criminal history as it relates to the job, but it provides little protection for ex-offenders seeking employment, education or even renting an apartment.

           “Without a decent job and a place to live, these ex-offenders are in danger of falling back into a life of crime,” Kitchen said. “Second chance legislation would help reduce recidivism and prison overcrowding, which is a growing problem in our state.”

 Gov. Ed Rendell’s 2010-11 budget proposal estimates that the number of incarcerated inmates will increase by 14 percent, to 59,000 prisoners by July 2013. Pennsylvania prisons are only designed to handle 43,000 inmates, according to the Department of Corrections.

            To address overcrowding, Pennsylvania transferred 2,000 inmates to prisons in other states. Additionally, the governor’s budget plan calls for spending $1.9 billion in corrections, a $137 million increase over last year’s budget.

            “This is a troubling trend that demands more than shipping inmates elsewhere, adding beds and building more prisons,” Kitchen said. “We need to be more proactive.

            “For the last seven years, I’ve advocated for better laws that give non-violent ex-offenders a second chance to succeed,” she said. “This is an issue that both Democrats and Republicans alike can support because it has the potential to reduce crime, recidivism and prison costs.”

            The senator will be introducing legislation soon that addresses this issue.

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