In a collaborative effort to improve the reintegration of former inmates into society, Governor Josh Stein, First Lady Anna Stein, and Secretary of Adult Correction Leslie Dismukes attended the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction’s Rehabilitation and Reentry Conference. The main focus of this gathering was to emphasize the Stein administration’s dedication to bolstering reentry programs and curbing recidivism.
Commitment to Second Chances
Governor Josh Stein highlighted the importance of supporting individuals transitioning from prison back into communities, stating, “Ninety percent of people who are in North Carolina prisons will eventually return to their communities. We all benefit when people leaving incarceration have a real second chance at success so they don’t fall back into whatever got them into trouble in the first place. We must continue to invest in reentry and rehabilitation programs like education, vocational programming, and behavioral health services to prevent repeat crime and better set people up to meaningfully contribute to their communities.”
First Lady Anna Stein stressed the societal invisibility of incarcerated individuals, asserting, “It’s easy for people who are incarcerated to become invisible to our society. By supporting reentry programs, we can strengthen our workforce and North Carolina families.”
Enhancing Public Safety
Secretary Leslie Cooley Dismukes of the Department of Adult Correction echoed the necessity of emphasizing reentry in public safety strategies. “Reentry is core to public safety in North Carolina,” she stated. “We must continue our whole-of-government approach to improve reentry, rehabilitation, and prison education services in our state.”
Earlier in the month, Governor Stein introduced a $1.4 billion Critical Needs Budget, aimed at addressing essential public safety, education, and health care services. This proposal allocates $211 million to enhance the competitiveness of North Carolina’s public safety roles with those in other states, ensuring sufficient staffing to maintain safety statewide. The budget also includes a 10% salary increase for correctional officers to support the stability of rehabilitation and reentry programs.
Behavioral Health and Justice Coordination
Governor Stein reinforced his commitment by signing Executive Order 33 in February, which aims to refine the coordination between North Carolina’s behavioral health and criminal justice systems. This directive calls for cabinet agencies to enhance their service delivery to the public. Additionally, Stein’s visits to behavioral health urgent care centers in various cities underscore the expansion of mental health services, with seven new centers launched by the NCDHHS in the last 19 months.
Reentry 2030 Initiative
The Stein administration, along with the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction, remains committed to the Reentry 2030 initiative. This national effort seeks to significantly enhance the success of individuals reentering society after incarceration, whether they are leaving prison or under community supervision.
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