Statement From Arnold Ventures’ Kevin Ring on Newly Introduced Legislation That Could Send 3,000 People on Home Confinement Back to Federal Prison

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Nov 9, 2023) – Following the introduction of S.J. Res. 47 — A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Justice relating to ​“Office of the Attorney General; Home Confinement Under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act” and an amendment filed to H.R. 5893 — Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024, Kevin Ring, vice president of criminal justice advocacy at Arnold Ventures, issued the following statement:

“This legislation is a solution in search of a problem. The people cleared for release to home confinement under the CARES Act were judged to have the lowest level of risk and did not have a history of violence or disciplinary infractions. Moreover, as of May 2023, only 27 of the roughly 13,000 people released had committed new crimes – an astonishingly low re-offense rate of just 0.2%. In other words, 99.8% of the people sent to home confinement have succeeded, with many of them starting families, attending school, and securing jobs. 

Reincarcerating people who have been living law-abiding lives for the past 2 – 3 years will do nothing to improve community safety, but it will cost the public millions of dollars and increase the burden on the already under-staffed federal prison system. We urge Congress to listen to leaders like Sen. Chuck Grassley, who previously stated that it would be best if people on CARES Act home confinement could stay home. Lawmakers should reject this unnecessary and unwise legislation.” 

Arnold Ventures is a philanthropy dedicated to tackling some of the most pressing problems in the United States. It is a team of more than 120 subject-matter experts headquartered in Houston with offices in New York and Washington, D.C. It works in five key issue areas: Criminal Justice, Education, Health, Infrastructure, and Public Finance. Its work is guided by Evidence-Based Policy, Research, and Advocacy.