How States Turn Coordination into Accountability
Reentry is a public health and safety issue with economic impact. A successful reentry system requires meaningful coordination and collaboration among state, local, and community partners to support people after incarceration and prevent them from returning to prison or jail.
WHAT is a reentry council?
- A reentry council is a formal government body charged with identifying and addressing gaps in a state’s reentry system.
- It is not a discussion group. It has a clear mandate, defined roles, and transparent accountability.
- Reentry councils are established through executive order, legislation, or agency mandate.
WHO is on reentry councils?
- Reentry councils bring together decision-makers with authority to change systems. This includes leaders from corrections, housing, health, workforce, education, transportation, and human services.
- Effective councils recognize lived experience as a form of expertise and include people with lived experience in the criminal justice system as full voting members with the same decision-making authority as state agency leaders.
- Councils also include leadership from community-based organizations that provide direct services in impacted communities and have the same decision-making authority, ensuring statewide strategy is grounded in local reality.
“Having a seat at the table as someone with lived experience has been incredibly meaningful. It’s not just about being included, it’s about helping shape decisions that impact real people incarcerated and coming home.”
—Kerwin Pittman, Executive Director, Recidivism Reduction Educational Programs Services, Inc., Member of North Carolina Joint Reentry Council
WHY do reentry councils work?
- When leadership across these systems is aligned, reentry stops being treated as a corrections-only responsibility and starts functioning as a whole-of-government statewide priority.
- Collaboration without the structure of a council doesn’t produce change.
- Reentry councils create accountability through strategic plans and public reporting, allowing communities to track progress and hold systems accountable.
HOW can I start a reentry council?
1. Establish a strong mandate.
2. Design an inclusive structure.
3. Develop a strategic plan.
4. Share progress regularly.
5. Plan for sustainability.
Get strategies for implementing these 5 steps.
State Reentry Councils in Practice
Select a state below to see how reentry councils in some Reentry 2030 states started, how they’re structured, and how leaders across systems are working together to break incarceration cycles and reduce recidivism:
Alabama Statewide Reentry Task Force
How was it established?
Senate Joint Resolution 80 (signed May 2025)
Who is at the table?
The task force is chaired by the director of the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles.
Members include legislators, state cabinet agency leaders, statewide reentry stakeholders, and people with lived experience in the criminal justice system:
- Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles
- Alabama Community College System
- Alabama Department of Corrections
- Alabama Department of Human Resources
- Alabama Department of Mental Health
- Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs
- Alabama Department of Workforce
- Alabama Law Enforcement Agency
- Alabama Medicaid Agency
- Alabama Office of Prosecution Services
- Alabama State House of Representatives
- Alabama State Senate
- Alabama Supreme Court
- City or County Government Representative
- Nonprofit Provider Representative
- Person With Lived Experience
How does the council function?
The task force builds upon and continues the work of the Reentry Alabama Commission (first formed in 2021 and reauthorized in 2024) to reach the state’s Reentry 2030 goals and implement the strategies outlined in the Reentry Alabama Commission’s 2025 final report.
The task force meets quarterly to track progress, address challenges, and learn about reentry best practices from experts in the field. Meetings are in person and open to the public, and the task force publicly releases an annual progress report.
The task force has established four implementation working groups composed of members from state agencies, community-based reentry organizations, treatment providers, local government representatives, subject matter experts, and other reentry stakeholders. The following implementation working groups meet regularly between the task force meetings to develop actionable strategies, identify additional budgetary or policy change needs, and track implementation progress:
- Economic mobility
- Behavioral health and housing
- Reentry preparedness
- Data
How can I learn more?
Transform Nebraska Network
How was it established?
By the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services and partner agencies in February 2024
Who is at the table?
Members represent government agencies, service providers, employers, community organizations, and people with lived experience:
- Behavioral Health and Human Services Organization
- Community Colleges
- Nebraska Administrative Office of the Courts & Probation
- Nebraska Department of Correctional Services
- Nebraska Department of Economic Development
- Nebraska Department of Education
- Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
- Nebraska Department of Labor
- Nebraska Department of Transportation
- Nebraska DHHS Division of Behavioral Health
- Nebraska DHHS Division of Children & Family Services
- Nebraska DHHS Division of Medicaid & Long-Term Care
- Nebraska DHHS Division of Public Health
- Nebraska DHHS Office of Economic Assistance
- Nebraska Investment Finance Authority
- Nebraska Vocational Rehabilitation
- Nonprofit Representative
- Workforce Development Organizations
How does the council function?
The TRANSFORM Nebraska Network is a first-of-its-kind multi-agency coalition with a unique focus on families, recognizing that reentry success depends not just on the individual but on strengthening the family connections and support systems that sustain long-term stability.
The network convenes quarterly and has established the following two working groups that meet regularly between network meetings to develop actionable strategies and identify additional policy change needs:
- Data
- Workforce Development and Career Planning
How can I learn more?
North Carolina Joint Reentry Council
How was it established?
Executive Order 303 (signed January 2024)
Who is at the table?
The council is chaired by the secretary of the Department of Adult Correction.
Members include the First Lady, people with lived experience, senior leaders from all state cabinet agencies, and statewide reentry stakeholders:
- First Lady of North Carolina
- North Carolina Department of Adult Correction
- North Carolina Department of Administration
- North Carolina Department of Commerce
- North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
- North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
- North Carolina Department of Information Technology
- North Carolina Department of Justice
- North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
- North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
- North Carolina Department of Public Safety
- North Carolina Department of Revenue
- North Carolina Department of Transportation
- North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management
- North Carolina Office of State Human Resources
- North Carolina Post-Release Supervision and Parole Commission
- Person with Lived Experience
How does the council function?
The council was established to coordinate efforts across all state agencies to meet the state’s Reentry 2030 goals.
The full council meets every two months to review progress on the statewide reentry strategy; share data; and hear updates from agency leaders, community partners, and researchers.
Six subcommittees meet regularly and drive implementation of the council’s reentry strategies identified in the state’s Reentry 2030 Strategic Plan. Subcommittees share progress through the state’s Reentry 2030 Dashboard—an interactive data site with updates on the goals, objectives, and strategies. The following subcommittees include members from the council, other government representatives, and community stakeholders from across the state:
- Behavioral and Physical Health
- Career Readiness and Employer Engagement
- Community Resources
- Education
- Housing Support
- Reentry Preparation
How can I learn more?
Learn about North Carolina’s Reentry 2030 goals and progress.
Washington Statewide Reentry Council
How was it established?
Legislation (43.380 RCW), signed April 2016, and guided by Executive Order 24-03 (signed September 2024)
Who is at the table?
The council is led by an executive director from the Washington State Department of Commerce who provides staff support and oversight, and is co-chaired by three representatives from reentry, housing, and Tribal affairs.
Members include state cabinet agency leaders, statewide reentry stakeholders, community leaders, and people with lived experience in the criminal justice system who are appointed by the governor to a two-year term:
- Business Representative
- Community Leaders
- Currently and Formerly Incarcerated People
- Faith-Based Organizations
- Housing Provider Representative
- Law Enforcement Representative
- Prosecutors’ Representative
- Survivors of Crime
- Tribal Nations
- Victims’ Representative
- Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
- Washington State Department of Corrections
- Washington State Department of Social and Health Services
- Washington State Department of Youth and Family Services
- Washington State Employment Security Department
- Washington State Healthcare Authority
- Washington State Office of Public Defense
How does the council function?
The council meets bimonthly and is regulated by bylaws and the executive order that names the council as the advisory group to actively align policies, resources, and service delivery to implement a comprehensive, outcome-driven Reentry 2030 strategy. The council created a strategic plan and logic model to drive implementation.
The council established several subcommittees, each chaired by a council member with up to 11 members. The state Department of Commerce provides administrative support to subcommittees on:
- Implementation & Evaluation
- Legislation
- Reentry 2030
- Bylaws (meet as needed)
- Membership selection (meet as needed)
How can I learn more?
Ready to build a reentry council in your state?
If you’re a leader interested in launching or strengthening your state reentry council, contact the CSG Justice Center at reentry2030@csg.org.