Kicking off Second Chance Month

Friend, we must reimagine our criminal justice system. Problems viewing this email? [View it in your browser]( [Center for American Progress]( InProgress from the Center for American Progress Welcome to Second Chance Month [A graphic of individuals with building blocks that look like houses. the background is dark blue. Text inside an orange circle reads: What is Second Chance Month? It's all of April! Second Chance Month is an opportunity to reaffirm the important of helping formerly incarcerated and directly impacted individuals reenter their communities and reunite with their families. The CAP20 logo is in the bottom right corner. ]( [Share This]( [April]( marks the beginning of Second Chance Month—an opportunity to recognize people affected by the criminal legal system and emphasize the importance of helping them reenter their communities and reunite with their families. As many as one-third of adults in America—more than 70 million people—have some sort of arrest or conviction record, and the criminal legal system erects barriers that make it incredibly difficult for people to rebuild their lives. Nine in 10 employers, 4 in 5 landlords, and 3 in 5 colleges currently use background checks in hiring, leasing, and admissions. Access to individuals’ records, even for minor offenses, puts them at a huge disadvantage. Data confirms this truth—nearly [75 percent]( of returning individuals are still unemployed a year after their release, and their probability of homeownership drops by more than 45 percent. Without financial security or meaningful opportunity, it becomes much harder to break the cycle of recidivism. [LEARN MORE ABOUT SECOND CHANCE POLICIES]( Second Chance Month is a valuable opportunity to recognize the hurdles that formerly incarcerated individuals face and reaffirms the importance of providing them with opportunities for rehabilitation and growth. Policies such as Clean Slate—which was originally proposed in a Center for American Progress [2014 report]( and supports record expungement through an automated process—can help individuals overcome these challenges. Twelve [states]( have already implemented some version of Clean Slate legislation and are seeing encouraging results. But for Clean Slate policies to have a widespread impact, they need to be enacted at the federal level. Do you have questions about [Second Chance Month]( We have answers. Follow along with our [online series]( every Monday where we are sharing facts and figures about this important issue. Closing the gender pay gap [A woman looks out the windows of the One World Observatory on a foggy day in New York City]( The [gender wage gap]( in the United States occurs in almost all occupations, at every level of educational attainment, and in every state. In 2022, [the gap narrowed to a record low]( with the median working woman receiving 78 cents for every dollar earned by their male counterpart, regardless of the number of hours or weeks worked in the year. Meanwhile, women working full time, year-round received 84 cents on the dollar. This [still-present gender wage gap]( means that women have less income to spend, save, or invest, depriving them and their families—and the economy at large—of the full economic value of their work—particularly those who are breadwinners, most often Black mothers. The gap also contributes to women being more likely than men to be financially insecure, live below the poverty line, and experience economic insecurities into older age. Fortunately, policymakers at the federal and state levels have a suite of policy options ready at their disposal to continue to make long-overdue progress on closing the gender wage gap. In chapter 5 of CAP’s new “[Playbook for the Advancement of Women in the Economy]( [Rose Khattar]( director of economic analysis for the Inclusive Economy team, details the existing gender wage gap and the economic benefits of resolving this problem. [Read More]( [ACTION ITEM] Pass the Paycheck Fairness Act Women are the key to unlocking a stronger economy for all. But at the same time, they are consistently underpaid and their work is undervalued. Discrimination is one of the factors contributing to this gender wage gap, leading to thousands of dollars in lost wages for women throughout their careers. That is why we need action on equal pay to address these inequities. [Tell your senators to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act.]( It would: - Strengthen existing equal pay protection - Prohibit retaliation against workers who discuss their pay or challenge pay discrimination - Limit employers’ reliance on salary history [Take Action]( DACA recipients help their communities and the U.S. economy thrive [An image of pro-DACA protesters marching past the U.S. Capitol building]( Since 2012, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) has served as a beacon of hope for more than [835,000]( undocumented immigrants who call the United States home. DACA has transformed lives by empowering recipients to live without fear of deportation, to work with dignity, and to pursue their dreams. [New data from CAP’s ninth annual survey of DACA recipients]( also show that DACA recipients make significant contributions to their local economies and the broader U.S. economy. It makes sense: Being able to legally work and contribute to the labor force means DACA recipients pay more in taxes, boost the economy with their purchasing power, and pursue their educational and career aspirations. The temporary stability provided by DACA is enriching families, communities, and our country, but recipients are still living in uncertainty given the ongoing litigation. Congress must enact a clear path to citizenship so DACA recipients can continue to thrive. [Read More]( Federal investments in action [Biden Administration Investment Tracker]( Explore the [Biden Administration Investment Tracker]( to see the impacts of the administration’s legislation—including new jobs, better infrastructure, and more. 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