Statement on the Relevancy of Second Chance Month

April 2026

The National Conference of Black Lawyers (NCBL), the legal arm of the Movement for Black Liberation, recognizes Second Chance Month as an opportunity to be mindful that the United States criminal legal system targets and punishes a disproportionate number of Black people. It provides an opportunity to support efforts to counter the restrictions placed on the ability to fully engage in society without bias due to a criminal record. Second Chance Month is also an opportunity for NCBL to affirm Black communities and the importance of resources used to target and punish being redirected to create opportunities in community for restoration, advancement and well-being.

For generations, Black communities have witnessed the unfairness and malice of the criminal legal system that punishes those committed to ending racial and economic oppression and uplifting the community. These activists become political prisoners and are incarcerated because of their political actions. Yet, the disproportionate charging and conviction of Black people generally leads to a disproportionate effect on the Black community of harms from a system that extends punishment far beyond a criminal sentence. People with criminal convictions are regularly denied access to employment, housing, voting rights, and other resources important to being able to thrive. Many jurisdictions impose “civil death” on people convicted of felonies, denying them the right to vote for a term of years or life. The criminal legal system generally has created a system of permanent exclusion and marginalization that extends far beyond the courtroom and a time-limited sentence. These ongoing barriers create a permanent second-class status that undermines not only individual lives, but the health and stability of entire communities.

These harms are not accidental. They are the result of intentional over-policing, discriminatory prosecution, and inequitable sentencing practices that disproportionately impact Black people and other oppressed communities.

NCBL envisions a fundamentally different system – one that moves away from punishment and puts resources into building communities that thrive. The resources now being used to target and punish would be used to support the creation of community-based programs that provide access to skill development, health and well-being support and community-based responses to address harmful behaviors. NCBL rejects the notion of the criminal legal system that people should be defined by criminal charges and punishment. Every person deserves the opportunity to rebuild their life and fully participate in their community.

Second Chance Month is a reminder that true justice requires more than second chances in name alone. It requires dismantling the systems and policies that continue to punish people long after their sentence is complete. At the same time, public records and discourse reveal stark inconsistencies in how accountability and redemption are applied. Grace and second chances are often extended to those with power and influence, and often those identified as white, while others are denied those same opportunities. This contradiction underscores the critical need for a system grounded in fairness, equity, and humanity.

Second Chance Month must therefore be more than symbolic recognition. It must be a call to action:

• Restore full civil and human rights to all people with criminal convictions.

• End policies and practices that disproportionately harm Black people and other racially and economically marginalized communities and perpetuate systemic inequality.

• Eliminate collateral consequences that create lifelong barriers to housing, employment, and civic participation.

• Acknowledge and address the continued incarceration of political prisoners whose cases raise profound concerns about fairness and justice.

• Invest in community-based systems and reentry supports that support healing, stability and opportunity, including access to skill development, health and well-being resources, expungement, and fair chance hiring.

NCBL remains committed to working with others to create a racially and economically just society that does not target people or groups for disproportionately harsh treatment; that prioritizes assisting communities in developing programs and resources that encourage and support people’s efforts to thrive; that supports health and well-being of all; and, that recognizes the full humanity of all people. Second chances must not be symbolic, selective, or conditional. They must be real, meaningful, and available to everyone.