Mary Gay Scanlon: “I come today before the House first in strong support of Congresswoman Bass' bill, the One Stop Shop Community Reentry…”

“I come today before the House first in strong support of Congresswoman Bass' bill, the One Stop Shop Community Reentry Program Act. Each year, hundreds of thousands of people are released from custody after serving their time, and reentry services are a crucial tool to help these individuals find success when they return home. However, in many cases, returning individuals are not given adequate support to succeed as they reintegrate in our communities. Too often they struggle to access safe and affordable housing, educational opportunities, and steady employment. This bill will provide critical, accessible, and comprehensive resources to these individuals including job training and help to obtain IDs, housing, mental health services, and more. Importantly, this bill would also expand services that I have direct experience to know are critical to increasing the success of reentering citizens. Prior to coming to Congress, I had the opportunity to work with returning citizens in the cutting-edge Federal reentry court started in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania by U.S. Magistrate Judge Tim Rice and now Third Circuit Judge Felipe Restrepo. We saw in that courtroom how mentoring and legal assistance often were the key to successful reentry by returning citizens. The additional services provided by the reentry court and related nonprofits resulted in a two-thirds reduction in recidivism by participants in that program.…”