Together we can.
Giving back through life-changing experiences.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Portia Bright-Pittman is a former justice involved individual who has turned her mistakes into keys to success that will help others transitioning out of incarceration find success at being productive citizens contributing to the betterment of the community.
Being led by Christ out of incarceration, Portia became a graduate of Pitt Commu
Portia Bright-Pittman is a former justice involved individual who has turned her mistakes into keys to success that will help others transitioning out of incarceration find success at being productive citizens contributing to the betterment of the community.
Being led by Christ out of incarceration, Portia became a graduate of Pitt Community College Human Services and Substance Abuse Counseling Associates Program and Cornell University Bank of America Institute Women's Entrepreneur Program. She served as legislative assistant for legislators in the North Carolina Senate and House of Representatives.
Since 2017, she has been a working member of the NC Reentry Council Collaborative established by Governor Roy Cooper, a 2020 graduate of the Formerly Incarcerated, Convicted Peoples and Families Movement Fellowship, Community Organizer with NC Second Chance Alliance and a published award winning children's author.
She expresses her passion for criminal justice reform by helping those involved in the system understand how government works and how to become better citizens after incarceration. Portia leads programs for schools, criminal justice reform, faith communities, and civic groups.
services
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Seeing a need for energetic nonprofit work in this area, we formed our organization to provide sensible solutions.
- Creating a cohesive continuum of services:
mental health
peer support
financial literacy
spiritual life coaching
transitional success coaching
-Helping offenders enroll into certification programs and work opportunities
-Access to transition housing opportunities
Our Mission
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Our Mission
NC Reentry Innovator for Success Inc. is a nonprofit striving to help remove the barriers that threaten to derail the success of people returning to their communities after serving time in prison.
We focus on making the maximum positive effort for our community. Our members and volunteers provide the momentum that helps us affect change within the women and men we serve.
TRANSITION HOMES & IMMEDIATE NEED SERVICES
we need your help
NC Reentry Innovator for Success Inc. is a nonprofit raising funds to purchase a transition home and provide immediate need services for those transitioning out of jail or prison. All donations are tax exempt.
EXPUNGEMENTS IN NORTH CAROLINA
WHAT CRIMINAL BACKGROUNDS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR EXPUNGEMENT?
There is no single law covering all expunctions in North Carolina; instead, several statutes covering various types of criminal records. Contrary to common belief, opportunities to expunge a criminal record in North Carolina are actually quite limited in regards to criminal convictions. Expunction opportunities in North Carolina are generally limited to the following three categories:
- A first-time conviction of a “nonviolent offense”
- A first-time conviction of certain offenses committed before age 18 or 22
- A charge that was dismissed or disposed “not guilty”
“Nonviolent Offense” is a term of art that is defined in N.C.G.S. § 15A-145.5(a) (PDF BELOW). It includes any felony or misdemeanor except those listed in the statute. Examples of offenses excluded from the definition are class A-G felonies, A1 misdemeanors, offenses involving assault as an essential element, or those requiring sex offender registration. See the statute for the full list offenses.
The key factors to determine eligibility for expungement of a criminal record are:
- What was the disposition of the offense (guilty, not guilty, dismissed, etc.)
- How old was the person at the time of the offense (under 18 or 22)
- How do you classify the offense (violent vs. nonviolent, controlled substance, etc.)
- Does the person have any previous or subsequent convictions that would disqualify them
- Is the relevant waiting period satisfied?
There have been significant reforms to the expunction process and expunction eligibility as a result of changes signed into law by Governor Cooper on July 28, 2017. The following are some of the key differences for expunction petitions filed after December 1, 2017:
- The wait periods for expunction of a nonviolent misdemeanors and felonies have been reduced from 15 years to 5 and 10 years, respectively
- A person can now expunge multiple dismissed charges and charges disposed “not guilty”. As long as the person has not been convicted of a felony, they are eligible to expunge all such charges.
Source of content: NC Second Chance Alliance
Learn More
For specific eligibility criteria, please see the 2018 Summary of North Carolina Expunctions.
WE NEED YOUR HELP
We are currently raising funds to purchase a transitional home and provide immediate need services for those transitioning out of jail or prison. Help us reduce recidivism!