South Raleigh News

Today, Governor Cooper announced the release of the Reentry 2030 Strategic Plan, approved last week by the Governor’s Joint Reentry Council. The Joint Reentry Council was established in January by Governor Cooper’s Executive Order No. 303, which directed whole-of-government coordination to improve reentry for formerly incarcerated people and issued specific directives developed in partnership with each cabinet agency, the Office of State Human Resources, and the Post-Release Supervision and Parole Commission. The Reentry Strategic Plan contains 26 objectives aimed at improving reentry, rehabilitation, and educational services. It also includes 133 strategies that state agencies and other organizations will undertake to achieve these objectives. Performance metrics are included to help North Carolina track progress towards these goals.

Since Governor Cooper signed Executive Order 303, state agencies have taken multiple actions to improve reentry. Accomplishments since January include the announcement of fourteen new local reentry councils to provide coordinated services to people reentering their communities from prison, the launch of a Commercial Driver’s License program for incarcerated individuals, and an investment in a transitional work program to place formerly incarcerated people on road work crews.

Last Wednesday, the Governor addressed the Joint Reentry Council to thank them for their work.

“This plan lays out our roadmap to help transform the lives of people leaving prison and reentering society while making our communities safe,” said Governor Cooper. “Committing to rehabilitation and education in and out of our prisons is both the right thing and the smart thing to do to strengthen our economy, reduce recidivism and give people the second chance they deserve.”

“The NC Department of Adult Correction’s mission is to protect the public by collaboratively focusing on rehabilitation, protection, innovation, accountability, and professionalism,” said Department of Adult Correction Secretary Todd Ishee. “The Reentry Strategic Plan embodies our belief that successful reentry begins on day one of our custody of a person.”

“North Carolina was one of the first states to join Reentry 2030, a national initiative that aims to dramatically improve reentry success for people exiting prison and those under supervision,” said Megan Quattlebaum, director of the CSG Justice Center. “We commend Governor Cooper and Secretary Ishee for this plan – it’s a bold, collaborative cross-sector approach, and an example we hope leaders across the country will draw from.”

Since signing Executive Order 303, state agencies have acted promptly to enhance reentry efforts. The Strategic Plan highlights several accomplishments since January:

- The North Carolina Department of Commerce awarded grants totaling $750,000 to three local Workforce Development Boards.

- The North Carolina Department of Adult Correction (DAC) launched a program with TransTech Driving School for training incarcerated individuals.

- The Post Release Supervision & Parole Commission created a reentry analyst position.

- DAC designated seven additional facilities for reentry including its first Close Custody Institution.

- The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services awarded $5.5 million in funding through NC-FIT (North Carolina Formerly Incarcerated Transitions).

- NC Medicaid granted DAC access to its provider portal NCTracks.

Read North Carolina’s Reentry 2030 Strategic Plan.

Read Governor Cooper’s Executive Order No. 303.