Roughly 650,000 inmates are released from prison each year, two-thirds of whom get rearrested within three years in a costly, $270 billion criminal justice system cycle.

President Trump promised to make it his priority to help former inmates get a second chance at reintegration into society. In his State of the Union speech early this year, Trump said, “We want every American to know the dignity of a hard day’s work.” His administration is keeping that promise by fighting for opportunity for all Americans — including those who have served prison sentences.

The Trump administration’s compassionate reforms will tackle the high cost of crime and defend our communities against future crime. The president has convened experts to discuss potential changes to our criminal justice system, and taken action such as commuting the prison sentence of Alice Johnson, who served 21 years for a nonviolent drug offense.

He is maintaining that momentum and continues to deliver for every community. The White House is working toward reforms that would provide federal resources to reduce crime, boost public safety, and increase opportunity for all. The administration’s proposals include job training programs ahead of inmates’ release, re-entry programs, and drug treatment and mental health services.

These resources would be provided by not only the government, but also nonprofits and community groups, all working together to help former prisoners find work and become contributing members of their communities. It’s a model that has proven effective in states like Kansas and Texas, where mentorship, mental health treatment, and faith-based initiatives are among the programs cutting the recidivism rate.

Meanwhile, the president’s policies have created more than 3.4 million jobs, accelerated GDP growth to 4.1 percent, and brought our nation’s unemployment rate down to record lows. A revitalized economy is a key factor in successful criminal justice reform. Today’s strong labor market provides even more opportunities for former inmates to re-enter the work force and rebuild their lives.

As President Trump said at the White House Prison Reform Summit in May, “When we talk about our national program to hire American, this must include helping millions of former inmates get back into the workforce as gainfully employed citizens.” The benefits of prison reform extend far beyond the inmates’ own lives — our entire society is better off when people are given the chance to become productive, law-abiding citizens.

In May, the House of Representatives passed the bipartisan First Step Act, which would offer incentives for prisoners to participate in rehabilitation programs. Last week, Trump met with Republican senators, who proposed to combine the First Step Act with several other bipartisan sentencing reform provisions that would decrease mandatory minimum sentences for new nonviolent offenders. On the same day, he met with a diverse group of pastors, including me, to hear our perspectives and discuss the future of prison reform.

As Trump considers these proposals, his administration is working with the Senate to get the First Step Act passed; the president supports the bill and has said he would sign it. Meanwhile, the administration is strengthening our nation’s law enforcement to make every community safer, and creating a healthier economy that works for everyone, including former inmates looking for jobs.

President Trump said it best during his May summit: “America is a nation that believes in the power of redemption.”

Pastor Darrell Scott is CEO of the National Diversity Coalition for Trump and a member of the Donald J. Trump for President Inc. advisory board.