From National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers:

During the month of April, we will be shining a light on the need for second chances, and we will need your help! Over 70 million Americans have a criminal record and therefore potentially face an onslaught of collateral consequences – specific legal restrictions, generalized discrimination, and social stigma – leading to barriers to employment, occupational licensing, housing, education, public benefits, immigration status, parental rights, driving rights, voting rights and more. While research has shown that steady employment is the best way to keep someone from committing another crime, excessive barriers severely limit the prospects of those with a criminal conviction.

NACDL is partnering with Prison Fellowship and other national organizations in recognizing Second Chance Month, a nationwide effort to raise awareness about these barriers and unlock brighter futures for people with a criminal record. To learn more about the need for this effort, check out NACDL’s 2014 groundbreaking report “Collateral Damage: America’s Failure to Forgive or Forget in the War on Crime.”