SCJC Ramps Efforts to Repeal South Carolina’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Ban
Federal law prohibits individuals with felony drug convictions from receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. However, an opt-out provision allows states to lift the ban and create their own SNAP eligibility requirements. South Carolina is the only state left in the United States that has not at least modified the Federal SNAP Ban.
Please click the button in the sidebar to download an informative brief from The Network for Public Health Law. This brief outlines the history, harms, and impacts associated with denying SNAP benefits (aka food stamps) to people with a felony drug conviction.
Denying someone with a felony drug conviction access to SNAP benefits explicitly poses a barrier to reintegration. The following are the harms associated with this ban:
Food Insecurity and Malnutrition:
Due to the ban, those with a felony drug conviction are food insecure, experience increased stress levels, and have a higher chance of suffering from a number of health conditions (i.e., heart disease). To compound the problem, SNAP benefits are calculated based on the number of people within a household. A household member with a felony drug conviction is excluded from the calculation.
Reintegration and Recidivism:
The federal ban of SNAP benefits hinders one’s ability to reenter the community; typically, these benefits provide a safety net while formerly incarcerated persons reintegrate, but this ban complicates such. This directly harms their economic stability, which is already at risk because of their felony conviction.
Disparate Impact:
The SNAP ban directly harms African Americans and women at a disproportionate rate. African American households are more likely to experience food insecurity. The SNAP ban disproportionately impacts women since women are more likely to commit drug crimes and are more likely to be single parents.
Eliminating the archaic SNAP ban would remove a destabilizing barrier to reentry and reduce recidivism. It would also promote better physical and mental health within communities already burdened with challenges related to criminal convictions and lower incomes.
Need Help?
Need more information? Don’t see what you’re looking for? We can help.
MORE RESOURCES
South Carolina
SCJC Ramps Efforts to Repeal South Carolina’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Ban
Federal law prohibits individuals with felony drug convictions from receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) […]
South Carolina
Changing Incarceration from “Voluntary Unemployment” In South Carolina Child Support Matters
Second Chance Justice Collaborative/Root & Rebound is proposing legislation that would prohibit the treatment of […]
National
Stimulus Payments Recovery Rebate Credit FAQ Packet
IMPORTANT: If You Did Not Receive Economic Impact Payments (Stimulus Payments), You Should Act by […]
California
A New Leaf: A ‘How-To Guide’ for Successful Reentry After A Cannabis Conviction
A New Leaf is a collaborative project between Root & Rebound and Viola, a premium […]
South Carolina
South Carolina Joint Committee on Children Public Hearing Summary
R&R’s SC Site Director, Kate Weaver Patterson, testified in front of the South Carolina Joint Committee on Children about […]
California
Policy Advocacy During the Pandemic in CA & SC
On April 1, we hosted a community forum on policy advocacy during the pandemic in […]
South Carolina
Community Forum on Voting
On July 22, we hosted a community forum on voting. The resources from this training, […]
South Carolina
Fair Chance Housing in the South
On Sept. 18, we hosted a virtual roundtable on fair chance housing in the South. […]
South Carolina
Expungements and Pardons: Record Cleaning in South Carolina
On Sept. 28, we hosted a training on record cleaning in South Carolina in partnership […]
South Carolina
South Carolina Roadmap to Reentry: Voting & Civic Participation Chapter
We are thrilled to introduce the first chapter of our South Carolina Roadmap— Voting & […]
National
CARES Act Fact Sheet
A federal judge recently decided the IRS cannot withhold CARES Act coronavirus emergency payments (stimulus funds) from […]
South Carolina
South Carolina Voting One-Pager
Have a criminal record in South Carolina? You can still vote if you meet certain […]
National
First Step to Second Chances
Root & Rebound partnered with #cut50 to create “First Step to Second Chances: A guide […]
National
Tribal Reentry Advocacy Guide
After two years of providing legal clinics and trainings with our tribal partners, Root & […]
Connecticut
Connecticut Roadmap to Reentry
In Connecticut, there are over 550 statutory barriers to reentry for residents with convictions, on […]
Hawaii
Hawai’i Reentry Legal & Resource Guide
The Hawai’i Reentry Legal & Resource Guide is designed to help people understand the legal […]
Minnesota
Minnesota Employers’ Fair Chance Hiring Guide
Inspired by our work in California, Root & Rebound’s attorneys wrote the Minnesota Employers’ Fair […]
National
National Fair Chance Housing Toolkit
What is “Fair Chance Housing”? To us, Fair Chance Housing means that people with criminal […]
California
CA Employers’ Fair Chance Hiring Toolkit
The California Employers’ Fair Chance Hiring Toolkit is a critical resource for employers, H.R. departments, […]
California
Reentry Planning Toolkit
The Reentry Planning Toolkits are designed for different audiences, with the goal of helping people […]
California
CA Roadmap
The “Roadmap to Reentry” Guide is a resource of legal information that people in California […]
California
My Education, My Freedom
For the millions of Californians with prior justice system involvement, furthering education is an exciting […]
Sign Up
Join our mailing list.
