Governor Stein discusses crime prevention at commission meeting

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Governor Josh Stein chaired his first meeting of the Governor’s Crime Commission at the Harrelson Center in downtown Wilmington. The meeting brought together various organizations and agencies dedicated to providing services for victims of domestic violence and violent crimes.

The Governor’s Crime Commission is comprised of 43 members, including the heads of state criminal justice and human service agencies, as well as private citizens, representatives from the courts system, law enforcement agencies, local governments, and nonprofits. Governor Stein emphasized the importance of the commission’s work.

“It doesn’t matter if crime is up or down, we’ve got to do everything we can to fight violent crime, put dangerous people behind bars where they can’t hurt our people,” Governor Stein said. “But we also want to reduce crime by preventing it. There are grants we can make with organizations that can work with young folks in the community.”

During the meeting, Ben David, the former District Attorney for New Hanover and Pender counties, spoke about the work of his new initiative, the Community Justice Center. The center, which is designed to provide comprehensive support to those navigating the criminal justice system, was made possible thanks to a generous $5 million endowment grant from the New Hanover Community Endowment.

“We are going to bring in the rape crisis center, domestic violence shelters and services, our child advocacy center, DSS, and Novant. We will create a one-stop shop for hope, healing, and justice,” David explained.

David also hopes that other counties across North Carolina will adopt this model for criminal justice centers in their own communities, helping to build stronger, more supportive environments for those affected by crime.