January 2026
Reentry isn’t just an issue for corrections, courts, and law enforcement agencies. Health, housing, and workforce agencies are a vital part of whether people succeed after serving time in prison or jail.
To coordinate reentry across all relevant agencies at all levels of government, North Carolina established a Joint Reentry Council to address the full spectrum of challenges that people face after incarceration and expand access to housing, health care, and jobs. North Carolina’s whole-of-government approach is a practical blueprint for other states seeking to end the incarceration cycles between homelessness, unemployment, and hospitalization.
“95% of incarcerated people in North Carolina will at some point complete their sentences and reenter society, and it makes sense to give them the support and resources they need to be successful and turn their lives around instead of turning back to crime,” said former Governor Roy Cooper, who created the council in 2024.
Drawing on the experience of North Carolina, one of our Reentry 2030 states, The Council of State Governments Justice Center published a blueprint that details steps for creating a joint reentry council as well as building a statewide strategic plan based on accountability and transparency.