Governor Stein Outlines Reentry Priorities at NCDAC Rehabilitation and Reentry Conference

Today Governor Josh Stein, First Lady Anna Stein, and Secretary of Adult Correction Leslie Dismukes joined the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction’s Rehabilitation and Reentry Conference to highlight the Stein administration’s commitment to strengthening reentry initiatives and reducing repeat crime.

“Ninety percent of people who are in North Carolina prisons will eventually return to their communities,” said Governor Josh Stein. “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.”

“It’s easy for people who are incarcerated to become invisible to our society,” said First Lady Anna Stein. “By supporting reentry programs, we can strengthen our workforce and North Carolina families.”

“Reentry is core to public safety in North Carolina," said Department of Adult Correction Secretary Leslie Cooley Dismukes. "We must continue our whole-of-government approach to improve reentry, rehabilitation, and prison education services in our state.”

Earlier this month, Governor Stein rolled out a $1.4 billion Critical Needs Budget, which includes funding for critical public safety, education, and health care services. The proposal includes $211 million to make North Carolina's public safety positions more competitive with other states' jobs and ensure agencies have the personnel needed to keep all North Carolinians safe. To address severe staffing shortages and vacancy rates statewide due to low pay, this budget includes a 10% raise for correctional officers to support operational stability to execute rehabilitation and reentry programming.

In February, Governor Stein signed Executive Order 33 to improve behavioral health care and public safety in North Carolina. The measure directs several cabinet agencies to take action to strengthen how the state’s behavioral health and criminal justice systems coordinate and serve the public. Governor Stein also visited behavioral health urgent care centers in Burlington, Charlotte, and Greenville, highlighting how the facilities expand access to mental health services. NCDHHS has launched seven new BHUCs in the past 19 months.  

Governor Stein and the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction also are committed to the Reentry 2030 plan, a national initiative that aims to dramatically improve reentry success for people exiting prison and for those under community supervision.