Office of North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper
Today, Governor Cooper participated in the launch of the Face to Face initiative, a national call to action sponsored by the Council of State Governments encouraging policymakers to personally engage with the people who are closest to the correctional system. Governors from across the country and both sides of the aisle are participating in today’s national effort.
Governor Cooper and DPS Secretary Erik Hooks visited the Pardoned By Christ (PBC) Transitional House in Raleigh to tour the home and speak with residents to hear about their experiences with the criminal justice system and the transition to independence after leaving prison.
“As we focus on enforcement, we must also prioritize rehabilitation,” Gov. Cooper said. “North Carolinians who have served their time for past mistakes should have opportunities to live purposeful, productive lives. Programs like the one I visited today help individuals transitioning out of the correctional system so that we can minimize the revolving door of incarceration that costs our state money, tears families apart, and often deprives society of the positive contributions that these individuals can make.”
Supporting formerly incarcerated people who are working to transition to productive members of our communities is a priority for the Cooper Administration and ties directly to other critical issues facing our state and nation, including the opioid crisis and workforce development. Governor Cooper’s budget, Common Ground Solutions for North Carolina, recommended an additional $9 million for behavioral treatment, support for local re-entry councils, and extending the length of time offenders may remain in transitional housing to help the successful transition of formerly incarcerated individuals back to the community.
The PBC Transitional House ministry was established to provide support for ex-offenders as they transition back into society. Most have had substance use and addictive disorders that led to their incarceration. PBC provides a safe and healthy environment, free from substance use, promoting a lifestyle without dependency.
The Face to Faceinitiative—sponsored by the National Reentry Resource Center and The Council of State Governments Justice Center in partnership with the Association of State Correctional Administrators (ASCA), JustLeadershipUSA, and the National Center for Victims of Crime (NCVC)— launched today with a wave of public activities, featuring both Republican and Democratic governors meeting with people impacted by the correctional system in their respective states.
To date, other governors committed to participating include: Gov. Dannel Malloy (D-CT), Gov. Eric Greitens (R-MO), Gov. Gary Herbert (R-UT), Gov. Steve Bullock (D-MT), Gov. Brian Sandoval (R-NV), Gov. Nathan Deal (R-GA), Gov. Susana Martinez (R-NM), Gov. Kim Reynolds (R-IA), Gov. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) and Gov. David Ige (D-HI). Face to Face is made possible with funding support from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance. For more information about the Face to Face initiative, visit CSGJusticeCenter.org/nrrc/facetoface.
Source: JusticeCenter