5 Critical Changes Rocking The NC Department Of Adult Correction In 2025

The North Carolina Department of Corrections (NCDOC) is no longer a current entity. The agency responsible for adult incarceration and supervision in the Tar Heel State underwent a massive structural overhaul, officially separating from the Department of Public Safety (NCDPS) to become the independent North Carolina Department of Adult Correction (NCDAC) on January 1, 2023. This change signaled a new era, but as of late 2025, the NCDAC is grappling with a severe staffing crisis and implementing some of the most significant criminal justice reforms the state has seen in decades, making its operations a critical point of public interest and legislative focus.

The transition to the NCDAC framework was intended to prioritize rehabilitation, protection, innovation, and accountability, moving away from the combined public safety model. With a new Secretary at the helm and a Strategic Plan for 2025-2029 in motion, the department is navigating a complex landscape of legislative mandates, a massive shortage of correctional officers, and an urgent need to address the health and mental health needs of its inmate population, which includes facilities like Central Correctional Institution and the NC Correctional Institution for Women.

The New Leadership and the Unprecedented Staffing Crisis

The year 2025 brought a change in leadership and an intensified focus on the department’s most pressing operational challenge: the correctional officer shortage. This crisis is not just a logistical problem; it is directly impacting the safety of staff and the availability of rehabilitation programs.

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Meet the Secretary: Leslie Cooley Dismukes

In a major leadership shift, Leslie Cooley Dismukes was sworn in as the Secretary of the NC Department of Adult Correction on January 6, 2025. Her appointment marks a pivotal moment, as her extensive public safety experience is now being directed toward the enormous task of stabilizing the department. Secretary Dismukes has publicly stated that her top priorities include tackling the critical staffing shortages, enhancing reentry services, reducing recidivism, and improving the provision of health care and mental health services across the state’s prison system.

The 40% Correctional Officer Vacancy Rate

The most immediate and severe challenge facing the NCDAC is the staggering vacancy rate for correctional officer positions. Recent reports indicate that nearly 40% of these vital roles are currently unfilled. This shortage is so severe that it has forced the closure of thousands of prison beds across the state, including at major facilities, as there are simply not enough staff to safely supervise the inmate population.

• Impact on Safety: Understaffing increases the risk of violence for both staff and inmates, stretching existing personnel thin and increasing burnout.
• Impact on Programs: The lack of officers means that crucial rehabilitation programs—the very programs designed to reduce recidivism—are often cut or canceled, directly undermining the department's core mission.
• Health Care Strain: The persistent staff vacancies also make it significantly more challenging for the NCDAC to meet the growing health care and mental health demands of the prison population.

Groundbreaking Legislative Reforms Reshaping Incarceration

Beyond the internal operational challenges, 2025 is a landmark year for criminal justice reform in North Carolina, with two major pieces of legislation set to fundamentally change how the NCDAC manages its population and labor force. These reforms reflect a growing statewide momentum for boosting support for formerly incarcerated people and focusing on long-term public safety through rehabilitation.

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The Second Look Act (H.B. 589)

Known as the Second Look Act, House Bill 589 represents a comprehensive Criminal Sentence Reduction Reform. Set to become effective on December 1, 2025, this bill introduces a crucial sentencing modification process for individuals serving long prison terms in North Carolina. The core intention is to allow certain individuals who have demonstrated significant rehabilitation and who no longer pose a threat to public safety to petition a court for a sentence review, offering a pathway to early release and reentry.

This reform is a significant step toward addressing the issue of aging prison populations and ensuring that sentences reflect a person's current capacity for successful reintegration into society. The NCDAC will be responsible for managing the influx of reviews and supporting the data needed for the judicial process.

The Prison Labor Reform Omnibus (S.B. 421)

Senate Bill 421, the Prison Reform Omnibus, targets the controversial issue of prison labor, aiming to reform state laws to ensure fair compensation, meaningful rehabilitation, and equitable work opportunities. The bill contains provisions that would drastically alter the current system, which has historically relied on forced, unpaid labor.

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Key points of S.B. 421 include:

• Ending Unpaid Labor: The bill seeks to end forced, unpaid prison labor, moving toward a system of fair compensation for work performed by incarcerated individuals.
• Oversight Board: It proposes the establishment of an independent “Prison Labor Oversight Board” to ensure transparency, accountability, and independent auditing of all prison work programs.
• Focus on Skills: The reform emphasizes vocational education and work opportunities that provide valuable, transferable skills to improve employment prospects upon release, thereby reducing recidivism.

The 2025-2029 Strategic Plan and Future Outlook

The NCDAC's operational future is guided by its Strategic Plan for 2025-2029, a detailed roadmap designed to tackle the systemic issues and align the department's goals with broader state priorities. This plan is fully aligned with Governor Josh Stein's six North Star Priorities, emphasizing a collaborative approach to public safety and rehabilitation.

The plan focuses on four core pillars: Rehabilitation, Protection, Innovation, and Accountability. For the over 84,000 offenders supervised on probation, parole, or post-release supervision, as well as those incarcerated in facilities like Nash Correctional Institution, the success of this plan is critical. Initiatives like the Crisis Intervention Team Training (CIT) are being leveraged to better manage mental health crises and improve interactions between staff and the justice-involved population.

The NCDAC is currently in a state of intense transition. The separation from the NC Department of Public Safety (NCDPS) was merely the beginning. The simultaneous pressure of the 40% staff vacancy rate and the implementation of massive legislative changes like the Second Look Act and the Prison Labor Omnibus means the department is simultaneously fighting a crisis and building a new, more reform-focused future. The effectiveness of Secretary Leslie Cooley Dismukes’ leadership in managing these complex, high-stakes shifts over the coming years will define the future of criminal justice in North Carolina.