Submitted Photo From the left are Congressman John Rutherford, R-Fla.; Federal Bureau of Prisons Director Colette Peters; Congressman David Trone, D-Md.; Congressman Kelly Armstrong, R-ND; and Congressman Matt Cartwright, D-Pa.

WASHINGTON — Congressman Kelly Armstrong, R-ND, jointed three other congressional members recently in announcing the creation of the Bipartisan Second Chance Task Force in an effort to promote policies that will improve reentry outcomes and reduce employment barriers for returning citizens.

At the time of its launch, the task force comprised of 26 members of Congress (13 Democrats and 13 Republicans). Joining Armstrong at the announcement were Congressman David Trone, D-Md.; Congressman John Rutherford, R-Fla.; and Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del.

More than 600,000 individuals are released from state and federal prisons every year in the United States, and recent studies show that formerly incarcerated people are currently unemployed at an average rate of over 27%. The new task force aims to address these barriers to successful reentry by developing and promoting reform policies in Congress and hosting monthly roundtable discussions.

During its inaugural event, members and co-chairs were joined by Federal Bureau of Prisons Director Colette Peters and Acting Head of National Institute of Corrections Alix McLearen for an introductory briefing on the challenges that the BOP faces in establishing and maintaining successful reentry programming.

“Providing tools and treatment to help incarcerated individuals re-enter society is important and reduces their chances of re-offending, making our communities safer,” said Armstrong. “The most critical time for someone leaving incarceration is the first 30 days after release, yet they face many obstacles. We have to be smarter about how we can help provide the stability they need. That’s why I’m honored to team up and co-lead this bipartisan task force.”

A number of other members of Congress are in the task force.