Phoenix, Arizona - Governor Ducey’s Fiscal Year 2021 Budget includes funding to expand Second Chance Centers in Arizona's correctional facilities to ease the transition back into society for those who served their time. In his 2020 State of the State Address, Governor Ducey said: "This year, we are doubling down on this successful model, investing in more educational programming so more individuals can get their opportunity at a better choice and a better life."
Launched in 2017, Second Chance Centers expand opportunities for those nearing release by offering resources that lead to job readiness, including job skills training, résumé and interview preparation, on-site job fairs, enrollment in health care, transportation services and more. More than 4,200 of our fellow Arizonans have completed Second Chance programs, equipping them with the tools and skills to make a better life. More than 2,600 had a job upon release, with hundreds more in programs currently.
The Governor’s balanced budget invests $9 million to expand Second Chance initiatives and educational programs as well as add additional substance abuse counselors. It also invests $250,000 to expand the successful braille transcription job training program, which strengthens inmates’ job skills and increases the number of textbooks for the visually impaired.
During this State of the State Address last month, the Governor also announced the Arizona Department of Corrections’ would take on a new name: The Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry. The new moniker better reflects the agency’s mission to continue transforming the corrections system.
