Governor Proclaims Second Chance Month 2023

WHEREAS, the vast majority of the individuals currently serving sentences in prisons and jails in North Carolina will eventually return to communities when they leave incarceration; and

WHEREAS, not securing a stable home life, employment, transportation, and health care upon community reentry can lead to recidivism; health, safety, and social concerns; and additional negative outcomes; and

WHEREAS, youth with a history in the juvenile justice system may face difficult circumstances when leaving a secure custody facility, such as reuniting with families and peers, integrating into their home communities, and enrolling in the local educational system; and

WHEREAS, local, state, and federal leaders recognize these barriers and continue to develop programs and policies to make it easier for these justice-involved individuals to lead healthy and successful lives; and

WHEREAS, North Carolina’s State Reentry Council Collaborative (SRCC) and state and local community organizations are implementing efforts to help the formerly incarcerated with their transition by coordinating reentry planning and initiatives and identifying service gaps; and 

WHEREAS, providing resources for the formerly incarcerated is a community-wide effort among local reentry councils, faith-based organizations, and the State; and

WHEREAS, investing in Juvenile Crime Prevention Councils, as well as education, vocational programming, and therapeutic treatment services for justice-involved youth, creates savings in victims’, societal, and justice system costs; and

WHEREAS, the cumulative effort of reentry professionals, as well as advocates and volunteers, helps to reduce stigma and provides the formerly incarcerated with increased opportunities and a greater chance of a successful reentry to their community;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ROY COOPER, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim April, 2023, as “SECOND CHANCE MONTH” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.