Iryna’s Law Studies. The North Carolina Collaboratory recently issued its Preliminary Report on the Intersection of Mental Health and the Justice Systems for both Adults and Juveniles in North Carolina, Pursuant to Session Law 2025-93, Section 4. The report outlines the Collaboratory’s research plan, which involves some of us here at the School of Government, Duke, and many others. The final report is due early next year. Meanwhile in the legislature, the House Select Committee on Involuntary Commitment and Public Safety issues its report to the General Assembly, which included related recommendations on telehealth in jails, mobile crisis teams, broadening the scope of who can conduct IVC evaluations, and expanding the capacity of state psychiatric hospitals. Following up on the story Shea reported last week regarding DeCarlos Brown, the man charged with the murder of Iryna Zarutska, and the potential delay in his state capacity hearing, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina posted on X to note that Brown is “in federal custody on a federal indictment, and that “state proceedings, including any competency finding in those proceedings, are completely separate.”
Sentencing Commission reports. The North Carolina Sentencing and Policy Advisory Commission posted its 2026 Adult Recidivism Report this week (along with a related quick facts sheet). The report covers the sample of offenders released from probation or prison in Fiscal Year 2023, and continues some mostly encouraging long-term trends in recidivist arrest rates, which are at their lowest level in over 20 years. Controlling for other factors, consistent findings over time point to the relative success of probationers over prisoners. The report reviews all manner of correctional programming, including faith-based programs, substance use treatment, education, vocational training, and cognitive behavioral interventions, among other programs. A key takeaway: nothing beats work release for reducing rearrest and reincarceration rates, and the path to reducing recidivism runs through employment. The report sorts data by judicial district, if you’d like to see how you compare.
The Sentencing Commission also published its annual Justice Reinvestment Implementation Evaluation Report, required by law under G.S. 164-50. Fifteen years into the Justice Reinvestment experiment, the report shows how the law has fundamentally reshaped how North Carolina handles probation, cutting revocation rates dramatically. But the report also shows that the population under supervision is increasingly high-risk and high-need, and that lighter-touch interventions like CRVs and quick dips have mixed results for certain categories of offenders.
Reentry Conference. Continuing the corrections-focused news (this is what happens when you let me write the Roundup), the Department of Adult Correction held its 2026 Rehabilitation and Reentry Conference in Raleigh last week. Hundreds of correctional professionals, community organizations, policymakers, and justice-involved individuals came together to share best practices on what works when people come home from prison. Keynote speakers included Governor Stein, Larry Miller, chairman of the Jordan Brand at Nike, and others. The conference was convened under DAC’s Reentry 2030 Strategic Plan and the State Reentry Council Collaborative, which now supports 31 local reentry councils across 53 counties.
HARC the Sound. Lexington and Concord get all the glory, but those of us in the Old North State know that the real cradle of liberty is Halifax County. On April 12, 1776 (the date commemorated on the lower banner in the North Carolina flag), the North Carolina Provincial Congress adopted the Halifax Resolves, the first colonial declaration in favor of independence from England. As we marked the semiquincentennial of that event, Halifax County was involved in another first—perhaps less historically monumental, but by all means worthy of a mention in this week’s Roundup. As announced by the Administrative Office of the Courts, the Halifax Accountability & Recovery Court (HARC) recently celebrated its first graduate. Like other statutory “local judicially managed accountability and recovery court programs” under G.S. 15A-1340.11(6c) (doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue as well as “HARC”), the program uses intensive court supervision to connect participants with community resources aimed at breaking the cycle of recidivism. At the ceremony, Chief District Court Judge Teresa Freeman praised graduate Wayne Parker for his perseverance and commitment. Congratulations Mr. Parker! Hopefully many success stories to follow.
Have a great weekend everybody.
