Originally published at National Catholic Register
A pair of Republican and Democratic U.S. senators recently questioned the director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Colette Peters, about why several faith-based recidivism reduction programs have been turned down in recent years from working in federal prisons.
Sens. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma, and Gary Peters, D-Michigan, in a Nov. 12 letter reviewed by CNA expressed concern over what they see as a lack of transparency in the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) selection process for evidence-based recidivism reduction (EBRR) programs and productive activities (PA).
Lankford and Peters called on the bureau to provide information regarding the its use of outside organizations for recidivism reduction programs, particularly faith-based organizations.
At issue is the First Step Act (FSA), signed into law by President Donald Trump during his first term in late 2018, which provides funding for rehabilitation programs such as education, drug treatment, and vocational training in federal prisons. The law was drafted to reduce rates of recidivism — former inmates reentering prisons for new crimes after they have served their term. The bipartisan act enjoyed support from many Catholics as a way to improve the country’s criminal justice system.
The FSA provides “a diverse range of community-based, private, and nonprofit program options” in federal prisons, including
