Dr. Brooke Wheeler, superintendent of Correctional Education Services, outlined all of the educational and occupational opportunities available in state prison facilities and explained the significant reduction in recidivism they help achieve, at the third meeting of North Carolina's Joint Reentry Council on April 10.
The Council was established by Gov. Roy Cooper under Executive Order 303 in January 2024. It directs all NC state cabinet agencies to coordinate efforts in improving rehabilitation and reentry of offenders returning to their communities after serving a sentence in a state correctional institution.
This was the panel’s third monthly meeting. Following opening remarks from Secretary Todd Ishee and Deputy Secretary for Rehabilitation and Reentry George Pettigrew, attendees received an overview of the extensive efforts underway to assist incarcerated individuals to achieve greater academic success.
Dr. Wheeler explained how offenders who earn a high school equivalency diploma, an associate’s or bachelor’s degree while serving a sentence have dramatically lower rates of reoffending. Offenders earning a master’s degree have a reoffending rate of zero percent. Offenders participating in educational and occupational programs make prison facilities and our communities safer. And, make it significantly more likely offenders will gain meaningful employment upon release. They are an eager workforce for Second Chance employers.
Following the presentation, the panel convened in subcommittee breakout sessions for the first time to discuss and tackle the many hurdles facing returning citizens and how to realize measurable gains in reducing recidivism in North Carolina. Additional photos of the meeting can be viewed on the DAC Flickr page.
The Joint Reentry Council will meet again on May 16, 2024 from 10 a.m. – noon.
NC Newsline - "Education changes lives" - Reentry council hears about prison education efforts