Governor Stein Proclaims Second Chance Month

Second Chance Month

2026

By The Governor Of The State Of North Carolina

A Proclamation

Whereas, approximately 90 percent of all people in state prison and nearly 98 percent of people in federal prison will complete their sentences, be released from incarceration, and return to their communities; and 

Whereas, preventing future criminal involvement and recidivism depends on key factors for overcoming challenges, yet formerly incarcerated people in North Carolina and elsewhere face many obstacles in locating employment, mental health and substance use treatment, housing, transportation, and health care; and 

Whereas, justice-involved youth may encounter similar challenges when leaving secure custody facilities, as well as difficulties reuniting with family and peers, reintegrating into their home communities, and enrolling in school; and 

Whereas, the cumulative efforts of reentry professionals, advocates, faith-based and community organizations, businesses, and the State of North Carolina help to prevent future criminal involvement, reduce stigma, and provide formerly incarcerated people and justice-involved youth with the increased opportunities and positive self-empowerment needed for them to become law-abiding citizens, resulting in greater chances of successful reentry to their communities; and

Whereas, Fair Chance Hiring Week is recognized April 12 – 18 to support efforts to help formerly incarcerated individuals to secure employment, with formerly incarcerated individuals who maintain employment demonstrating significantly lower reoffense rates, by some estimates two to three times lower than individuals who do not; and

Whereas, investing in Juvenile Crime Prevention Councils, as well as education, vocational programming, and therapeutic treatment services for justice-involved youth, creates fewer victims and safer communities while reducing cost to the justice system and society as a whole; and

Whereas, North Carolina’s Joint Reentry Council and State Reentry Council Collaborative are working to help formerly incarcerated people with their transition by coordinating reentry initiatives and identifying service gaps; and 

Whereas, North Carolina continues a transformational whole-of-government approach to improve reentry, rehabilitation, and prison education services in North Carolina, exemplified by the Reentry 2030 Strategic Plan; 

Now, Therefore, I, Josh Stein, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim April 2026 as “Second Chance Month” in North Carolina and commend its observance to all residents.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Great Seal of the State of North Carolina at the Capitol in Raleigh this seventeenth day of March in the year of our Lord two thousand and twenty-sixth and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fiftieth.