Topics Related to Adult Correction

Curriculum restructure improves officer safety, retention, and job satisfaction

North Carolina is changing the way it trains new correctional officers so they are better prepared for the roles they play inside the state’s prisons.

Leaders of the state’s 55 prisons repeatedly heard two consistent messages from senior management and presenters during their meetings in Raleigh on March 12-13: You are the messenger in your facilities, and it is essential to communicate and listen to your staff.

“You run the facilities. You have the knowledge. That’s why you are there,” Director of Prisons Kenneth Lassiter told the group.

On Feb. 7-9, Interim Chief Deputy Secretary Reuben Young and Director of Prisons Kenneth Lassiter resumed their visits to the state’s prisons by heading west. The road swing took them to Lincoln Correctional Center, Alexander Correctional Institution, Caldwell CC, Avery/Mitchell CI, Mountain View CI, Marion CI, Foothills CI and Burke CRV.

Governor Roy Cooper is making good on his promise to make North Carolina safer by helping people leaving the state’s prisons become productive members of their communities.During the second meeting of the State Reentry Council Collaborative this week, Gov. Cooper unveiled the comprehensive action plan created by the Council to ensure the success of formerly incarcerated people after they’ve paid their debt to society and return to their communities.

Public Safety Secretary Erik A. Hooks and several senior staff are continuing to travel across the state to meet with correctional officers, medical personnel, maintenance staff and other employees who work in some of North Carolina’s 55 prisons. While the Secretary has visited prisons in Wake, Franklin, Nash and Granville counties in the last few months, he and some of his executive team are stepping up these tours with face to face meetings with employees primarily designed for them to share what’s on their mind.

This June, 16 students from Bertie County Schools graduated from high school, and embarked on  the next leg of a journey that began 18 months ago when they applied to be a part of the inaugural Public Safety Cadet program – an innovative program that aims to help more young residents of Bertie County become employed in the criminal justice field.

These students actually graduated twice: they also received a certificate for Corrections Specialist I and II from Roanoke-Chowan Community College.

“The meals on the bus go ‘round and ‘round, ‘round and ‘round, ‘round and ‘round…” 

It’s not a typo – yes, I said meals. 

That’s because through a partnership between Henderson County Public Schools and Correction Enterprises a typical school bus has been transformed into a vehicle that will deliver meals and books to low-income children across Henderson County all summer.