North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper has made headlines once again by announcing the release of the Reentry 2030 Progress Report, an initiative that details the state's advancement towards reshaping the reentry process for former inmates. As detailed on the official Department of Adult Correction website, the report is a result of Executive Order 303 and offers a comprehensive look at the strides taken by the Joint Reentry Council since the unveiling of the Reentry 2030 Strategic Plan earlier this August.

In his announcement, Governor Cooper emphasized that the Reentry 2030 Initiative "is both the right thing and the smart thing to do for our state," underscoring the dual benefits of preparing individuals for life post-incarceration and enhancing public safety by aiming to reduce recidivism. The Council, chaired by Department of Adult Correction Secretary Todd Ishee, is praised for its dedication to the cause, having to already start or complete 50 of the 133 strategies laid out in the plan, and collecting 68 baseline statistics of the 95 performance metrics, detailed by the Department of Adult Correction.

The initiative's progress is indicative of the collaborative efforts between state agencies, reentry partners, and the Joint Reentry Council subcommittees. Their combined efforts aim to cultivate a cross-sector, whole-of-government approach to reentry. As Megan Quattlebaum, director of the CSG Justice Center, stated in the release, "North Carolina has rapidly built up partnerships, mapped out a plan to achieve the Governor’s vision, and achieved key successes that will have an impact on thousands of North Carolinians," as per the Department of Adult Correction.

Looking ahead to the 2025 Session of the General Assembly, the Reentry 2030 Progress Report includes a series of legislative recommendations. Many of these proposals advocate to expand existing reentry programs that span various state agencies, showing a clear intention to further develop successful interventions. The collective drive behind these initiatives sets North Carolina as a benchmark for reform at a national level.