Wake County Reentry Organizations Unite for Reentry Month
Wake County Reentry Organizations Unite for Reentry Month
Data shows sharp reduction in recidivism among those receiving reentry support
RALEIGH, N.C. – April 2, 2025 – As April marks Reentry Month across North Carolina, local leaders are joining forces to spotlight innovative solutions and strengthen support systems for formerly incarcerated individuals in Wake County. The Wake Reentry Resource Exchange will take place Thursday, April 24, 2025 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Wake County Commons in Raleigh. The event is hosted by Wake Local Reentry Council (Wake LRC) in partnership with the Juvenile Crime Prevention Program and support from Capital Area Workforce Development.
Timing couldn’t be more crucial. In 2024 alone, 20,883 adults were released from North Carolina state prisons, while the state received 40,447 juvenile complaints, leading to 3,036 juvenile detentions. Wake County saw a rise in youth complaints, increasing from 3,613 in 2023 to 3,823 in 2024. Meanwhile, the adult recidivism rate in Wake County stands at 28% within one year of release. That rate plummets to 12.6% among individuals who received services from Wake LRC.
“The partnership between adult and juvenile services is long overdue,” said Dennis Gaddy, executive director of Community Success Initiative. “The benefit of networking between adult and youth reentry services lies in the ability to share resources, knowledge and best practices to prevent juvenile crime and better support adults transitioning back into society after incarceration.”
The Wake Reentry Resource Exchange will bring together service providers, community leaders, state agencies and local organizations committed to reentry work for both for adults and youth. The goal is to build a more unified and effective reentry ecosystem in Wake County.
Key Goals of the Event:
• Foster collaboration among reentry-focused organizations and stakeholders.
• Align with Reentry 2030 and other state-led initiatives.
• Increase awareness of community resources for successful reintegration.
• Strengthen strategies to connect justice-involved individuals with essential support.
• Establish partnerships to close service gaps and improve outcomes.
What to Expect:
• Reentry 2030 insights from our State Reentry Council.
• Expert panel discussion featuring professionals with lived experience.
• Strategic networking with key stakeholders in Wake County’s reentry and juvenile justice community.
• Vendor opportunities to share services that support adults and/or juveniles.
“This is more than just an event — it’s a movement to transform how we support people reentering society,” said James Johnson, program manager with Wake LRC. “By uniting around shared goals, we can drive lasting change and reduce recidivism in our communities.”
More information is available at reentryexchange.eventbrite.com.
About Capital Area Workforce Development
CAWD is the intermediary of Wake Local Reentry Council. CAWD is a public-private partnership and 501(c)3 funded by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014. Through collaborations with business, government, education and others, the organization has developed state and nationally recognized workforce programs, connected businesses to workforce resources, the education system, and helped thousands to gain employment. CAWD serves Wake, Johnston, Chatham, and Lee counties in the Triangle region of North Carolina.
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