Governor Proclaims Second Chance Month 2021

WHEREAS, nearly all incarcerated individuals will eventually leave prison or jail and return to communities across the state; and

WHEREAS, formerly incarcerated individuals face many hurdles in securing employment, housing, transportation, and health care, made even more challenging during a global health crisis; and

WHEREAS, working with formerly incarcerated people to create opportunities for them to be productive members of society benefits their families and communities in many ways, including improving safety and preventing and reducing crime; and

WHEREAS, efforts are underway at the federal, state, and local levels to establish programs and policies focused on removing the barriers that prevent formerly incarcerated people from pursuing healthy and productive lives; and

WHEREAS, in 2017 the North Carolina General Assembly established the State Reentry Council Collaborative (SRCC) aimed at studying the needs of people reentering their communities and to increase the effectiveness of local reentry councils; and

WHEREAS, North Carolina’s Reentry Action Plan outlines strategies for supporting and enhancing current reentry initiatives across North Carolina and highlights evidence-based strategies for addressing the challenges faced by justice-involved people and their families; and

WHEREAS, nonprofits, faith-based groups, local reentry councils, employers, and educational institutions, among others across North Carolina, play a critical role in providing resources important to successful reentry, and decreasing stigma by raising awareness of the challenges faced by formerly incarcerated people as they reenter the community;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ROY COOPER, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim April, 2021, as “SECOND CHANCE MONTH” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.