Advocates say more could be done to support people leaving prison

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Welcome to Awake58 — a weekly newsletter with the latest updates on community college news and events. If you were forwarded this email, you can sign up for the Awake58 newsletter here, and you can find last week’s edition on our website.

This week’s edition is by Ben Humphries, reporter and policy analyst with EdNC.

Take a closer look inside North Carolina’s local reentry councils, which often include community college representatives and play a critical role in coordinating services for formerly incarcerated people… Catch up on Lt. Gov. Rachel Hunt’s recent visit to Edgecombe Community College… Learn how Southeastern Community College braided federal, state, and local dollars to build a state-of-the-art facility… Plus, EdNC’s CEO Mebane Rash reflects on EdNC’s commitment to leadership…

Good morning and welcome to Awake58 — Ben here.

You may remember my story on prison education which outlined the deep ties community colleges have to prison education and the role of education as it relates to reentry and North Carolina’s workforce objectives.

A follow-up piece, published last week, is about what happens to those reentering society after they are released from prison and the structures in place trying to support them. As folks working in education and workforce development know, having one’s basic needs met is a prerequisite to effective learning and training.

North Carolina’s local reentry councils (LRCs) — networks of nonprofits, educational institutions, companies, faith organizations, local governments, public agencies, and individuals — try to help meet those basic needs for people coming out of prison and propel them toward educational programs and good jobs.

LRCs are lauded by advocates, and North Carolina has made a goal of expanding them to serve the entire state. However, a lack of adequate state funding may subvert that goal: One recently formed LRC has already closed, and many others have had to reduce services after one-time funding dried up. Many LRCs receive no state funding at all.

Here’s a striking comparison: The state spent about $1,130 per person on the fraction of reentrants who were served by LRCs last year. Meanwhile, it spent $55,000 per person incarcerated in state prisons.

“The state has not truly, truly invested,” Nicole Sullivan, an architect of North Carolina’s first LRCs, told me.

Advocates said that dollars spent on LRCs — on reentry — could have a huge return on investment. James Johnson, program manager at Wake Local Reentry Council, said the two-year recidivism rate of Wake LRC’s clients is 17.5% versus the statewide rate of 41%.

Wake LRC staff help clients on a case-by-case basis, usually guiding them toward employment, starting with training programs through Wake Technical Community College or private providers.

Imagine cutting the rearrest rate by more than half statewide, and the impact that would have on public safety, our workforce, the prison population — and the humans behind the statistics.

Over the course of about five months I spoke to reentry workers, visited LRCs in person, pored over documents and data, and heard from legislators in order to get a complete look at the state of LRCs and what needs to be done to empower them to serve more reentrants. I hope you’ll read the resulting piece and spread the word.

With gratitude,

Ben Humphries

Reporter and policy analyst, EdNC