EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 12
GOVERNOR’S STREETSAFE TASK FORCE TO STOP REPEAT OFFENDERS
WHEREAS, it is in the best interests of the safety of the citizens of North Carolina to reduce the number of ex-offenders who commit crimes after their release from prison; and
WHEREAS, studies show that 36 percent of ex-offenders in North Carolina are sent back to prison for committing new crimes within three (3) years of their release and more than half of the almost 30,000 prisoners who entered North Carolina prisons in 2008 had previous involvement with the criminal justice system; and
WHEREAS, North Carolina’s correction, probation, and parole system seeks to return inmates, probationers, and parolees to communities in a manner that keeps communities safe and encourages the success of the inmates, probationers, and parolees in the community; and
WHEREAS, in 2008, because the use of parole has been largely eliminated, only 16 percent of the more than 27,000 people who left North Carolina prisons received any kind of post-release supervision; and
WHEREAS, State and local agencies and community organizations seek to make North Carolina communities safer by reducing recidivism rates; and
WHEREAS, currently there is no formalized structure in North Carolina that enables these agencies and organizations to cooperate in finding solutions; and
WHEREAS, by uniting the efforts of non-profit, faith-based organizations, state and local government, and the business community, North Carolina can collaboratively work to stop ex-offenders and probationers from committing new crimes.
NOW, THEREFORE by the power vested in me as Governor by the laws and Constitution of North Carolina, IT IS ORDERED:
Section 1. Establishment
The Governor's Task Force on StreetSafe: Stop Repeat Offenders (hereinafter the “Task Force” or “StreetSafe Task Force”) is hereby established. Task Force members shall be appointed bythe Governor and shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor. The StreetSafe Task Force shall consist of at least 15 members, but no more than 35 members, including ex-officio members.
The following shall serve as ex-officio members of the Task Force:
a. The Attorney General, who shall serve as a Co-Chair.
b. The Secretary of the Department of Correction, who shall serve as a Co-Chair.
c. The Secretary of the Department of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention.
d. The Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
e. The Governor’s Policy Director.
f. The Director of the Administrative Office of the Courts.
g. The Chairman of the Employment Security Commission.
h. The Director of the Office of Indigent Defense Services.
i. The Executive Director of Workforce Development.
j. The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles.
k. The Chair of the Governor’s Crime Commission.
l. The President or their designee of the University of North Carolina System.
m. The President or their designee of the North Carolina Community College System.
n. The Executive Director of the North Carolina Victims Assistance Network.
o. The Executive Director of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation.
The following additional members shall be appointed by the Governor from the following public and private agencies and categories of qualification and shall serve for a term of two (2) years.
a. A correctional administrator of a medium/close custody correctional center within the North Carolina Department of Correction.
b. A superintendent correctional administrator of a minimum custody correctional institution within the North Carolina Department of Correction.
c. A judicial district manager from the Division of Community Corrections, North Carolina Department of Correction.
d. A chief juvenile court counselor from the Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
e. An attorney who is a member of the criminal defense bar.
f. A district attorney.
g. A district court judge.
h. A superior court judge.
i. An elected official representing the state’s local governments.
j. An ex-offender.
k. A county sheriff.
l. A police chief.
m. A small business owner that employs ex-offenders.
n. A large business owner that employs ex-offenders.
o. A community representative.
p. Two representatives of a community/faith-based organization that provides transition services to ex-offenders.
q. A member of the Justice Systems Innovations Team from the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services within the Department of Health and Human Services.
r. Two representatives from the faith-based community.
Section 2. Meetings
The StreetSafe Task Force shall meet quarterly or at the call of the Co-chairs. The Co-chairs shall set the agenda for the meetings.
Section 3. Duties
The StreetSafe Task Force shall have the following duties:
a. Perform a comprehensive examination of the challenges faced by ex-offenders and probationers.
b. Inventory current efforts of North Carolina state and local agencies and community organizations to reduce the number of repeat offenders and to safely reintegrate prisoners and probationers into the community.
c. Create a plan that sets policy goals that will serve as a roadmap for state policy makers, agencies, and community groups to coordinate pre-release and post-release activities regarding recidivism and the reentry of ex-offenders and probationers into communities. The plan shall include efforts that emphasize job training and education, stable housing, availability of substance abuse treatment and recovery supports, and family reunification.
d. Publish a report of the Task Force’s work.
Section 4. Administration
a. The Task Force shall establish a working group to assist the Task Force in performing its duties. The working group will have representatives from the agencies and organizations that sit on the Task Force along with representatives of any additional groups as deemed appropriate by the Task Force. The working group shall include individuals who work directly with ex-offenders. The working group will make recommendations to the Task Force.
b. No per diem allowance shall be paid to members of the Task Force. Members of the Task Force and staff may receive necessary travel and subsistence expenses in accordance with state law and/or as the state budget office allows.
Section 5. Duration
This Executive Order shall be effective immediately and shall remain in effect until rescinded.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto signed my name and affixed the Great Seal of the State of North Carolina at the Capitol in the City of Raleigh, this first of May in the year of our Lord two thousand and nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.
__________________________________________
Beverly Eaves Perdue
Governor
ATTEST:
__________________________________________
Elaine F. Marshall
Secretary of State