Governor Josh Stein and First Lady Anna Stein, joined by members of the Governor’s Cabinet and agency leaders, participated in a reentry simulation organized by the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction (NCDAC). The event was designed to give participants insight into the challenges faced by individuals returning to society after incarceration.
“Strengthening reentry support in North Carolina is both the right thing to do and the smart thing to do,” said Governor Josh Stein. “Far too often, when people leave incarceration, they find door after door closed to them when we should be opening doors of opportunity for them. Anna and I are grateful for this experience to learn firsthand the struggles that people leaving incarceration face.”
First Lady Anna Stein highlighted her involvement with the Joint Reentry Council. “Removing barriers to reintegration for incarcerated people is something I’m proud to work on as a member of the Joint Reentry Council,” she said. “Those barriers include difficulty finding housing and transportation, or getting an ID. Today’s simulation offers us a look into what those barriers are like, so we can better collaborate across all state agencies to make sure our incarcerated population has the best chance at successful reentry for the long term.”
The simulation spanned four weeks of post-release life in a condensed format. Participants took on fictional identities as reentrants and visited various stations representing real-world institutions such as the DMV, court system, probation office, banks, employers, housing providers, transportation services, treatment centers, churches, counseling centers, social service agencies, career centers, and pawn shops.
The event was led by NCDAC’s Division of Rehabilitation and Reentry. It aimed to help officials understand systemic obstacles that formerly incarcerated individuals encounter while seeking employment, housing, identification documents, transportation options, and compliance with community supervision requirements.
“Reentry simulations give participants a firsthand look at the challenges and difficulties folks face when they leave our custody,” said Leslie Dismukes, Secretary of the N.C. Department of Adult Correction. “This understanding is critical to helping us build and fund better systems and processes for successful reentry into our communities. I’m thankful for the support the Governor, First Lady, and cabinet secretaries have shown toward rehabilitation and reentry efforts of our department and across state government.”
Deputy Secretary of Rehabilitation and Reentry George Pettigrew also commented on leadership participation: “It is inspiring to see the Governor, First Lady, and other state leaders taking the time to participate in today’s reentry simulation,” he said. “When more people understand the challenges people face as they transition from incarceration back into the community, support grows for rehabilitation and reentry programs and services.”
North Carolina has adopted a comprehensive approach through initiatives like its Reentry 2030 Strategic Plan that aims to improve rehabilitation services within prisons as well as education opportunities for inmates.
