Safety. Efficiency. Accountability.

In the spring of 2016, we brought together conservative leaders and criminal justice advocates to explore a simple idea: that conservatives should demand the same accountability and efficiency from our public safety systems that we expect from every other part of government. Too often, “tough on crime” politics had kept conservatives from asking whether those systems were actually making communities safer or making good use of taxpayer dollars.

We met with elected officials, judges, corrections officials, and members of law enforcement. The response was overwhelmingly positive, and again and again we heard about reforms these leaders saw as fully consistent with conservative values.

Our first priority was supporting then–Chief Justice Mark Martin’s call to raise the juvenile age, a reform that took effect in December 2019. We then helped pass the Second Chance Act, which earned unanimous bipartisan support and was signed into law in 2020.

Today, CCJR works alongside the NC Chamber and business leaders across the state to expand second chance opportunities, helping people with criminal records find work, support their families, and fully participate in their communities. Strong communities depend on a strong workforce, and removing unnecessary barriers to employment is good for public safety and good for North Carolina’s economy.

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