Resolution
 

Second Chance Act

WHEREAS, the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is dedicated to the preservation of the most basic civil rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all Latinos and minorities, including the right to be free from governmental cruelty and oppression; and

WHEREAS, according to the United States National Council on Crime and Delinquency, “The United States’ incarcerates at a rate 4 to 7 times higher than other western nations such as the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Germany and up to 32 time higher than nations with lowest rates such a Nepal, Nigeria, and India;” and

WHEREAS, a disproportionate percentage of those individuals incarcerated in the United States are Latinos, African Americans, and other minorities; and

WHEREAS, upon release from prison, parole, or probation these ex-offenders are consistently denied employment and other benefits, thereby causing broken homes, neglected children, poverty, and additional burden to taxpayers; and

WHEREAS, unlike almost all states which provide for some system of expunging records and thereby provide a meaningful chance for ex-offenders to rebuild their life, the federal system offers no such relief except in very limited, misdemeanor cases; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the League of United Latin American Citizens calls for the immediate passage in Congress of the “Second Chance Act for Ex-Offender of 2007” (HR 623) which allows first time, federal, non-violent ex-offenders to prove by clear and convincing evidence to their sentencing judge that they have rehabilitated themselves through community service, education, and renunciation of drug use, and that they are thereby worthy of expunction of their federal record so long as they remain crime free, drug free, industrious member of our community; and

THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the League of United Latin American Citizens calls for the immediate passage in Congress of the “Second Chance Act” (S 1060) which calls for the funding of local programs which are dedicated to the support of ex-offenders who are struggling to re-enter as law abiding, productive citizens, whether they were incarcerated by either the state or federal government.

Approved this 14th day of July 2007.

Rosa Rosales
LULAC National President


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