A newly established state panel is actively working to bring multiple North Carolina state government agencies together to enhance outcomes for released prisoners and reduce recidivism. Created by Gov. Roy Cooper’s executive order in January, the Joint Reentry Council has recently approved a plan that includes over 130 strategies to achieve more than two dozen objectives.
This plan initiated a “whole-of-government” strategy, emphasizing collaboration among Cabinet departments and other state agencies to achieve common goals and implement effective actions.
Each year, more than 18,000 individuals are released from numerous North Carolina adult correctional facilities. These released individuals often face challenges related to their criminal records when seeking employment, education, healthcare, and housing.
Governor Cooper highlighted the significance of the council’s plan in transforming the lives of individuals reentering society post-incarceration while ensuring community safety. The plan also aligns with Reentry 2030, a national initiative led by the Council of State Governments and other organizations to facilitate successful offender integration.
By setting ambitious goals to be achieved by 2030, the plan aims to increase the number of high school degrees or skill credentials earned by eligible incarcerated juveniles and adults by 75% and reduce the homelessness rate among formerly incarcerated individuals by 10% annually.
Several initiatives are already in progress, with the Department of Adult Correction leading a program in collaboration with a driving school to assist prisoners in obtaining commercial driver’s licenses. Additionally, the Department of Health and Human Services has allocated $5.5 million toward a program supporting recently released offenders with severe mental health issues.
Governor Cooper confirmed that funding has been secured to support many of these efforts, including facilitating access to federal grants for incarcerated individuals to pursue post-secondary education that can lead to employment opportunities upon release.
