Former North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper is facing growing scrutiny after new data highlighted the fallout from his administration’s decision to release thousands of inmates early during the COVID pandemic.
According to state recidivism figures, nearly half of the convicted criminals released from North Carolina prisons under Cooper’s policies later reoffended. But a newly launched database tracking post-release violations reportedly paints an even more alarming picture, estimating the repeat-offense rate may be closer to 57 percent.
Even more disturbing, at least 18 inmates who were released early were later charged with murder.
The revelations are turning up the political heat on Cooper as Democrats continue trying to present themselves as the party of “public safety” while many Americans are still dealing with the consequences of soft-on-crime policies pushed during the pandemic years.
Supporters of the early-release effort argued at the time that reducing prison populations was necessary because of COVID concerns. Critics, however, warned that rapidly releasing convicted offenders without adequate safeguards would put communities at risk — and now many conservatives say those warnings were ignored.
And unfortunately, it’s ordinary families who end up paying the price when politicians experiment with criminal justice policies from the comfort of government offices and campaign fundraisers.
The newly launched database has intensified attention on the issue by allowing the public to track post-release offenses committed by inmates freed during the pandemic period. Conservatives argue the information raises serious questions about whether political ideology was prioritized over public safety.
For years, Democrats across the country pushed criminal justice “reforms” that often emphasized early releases, reduced sentences, and lighter enforcement policies. But as violent crime and repeat offenses surged in many areas, voters increasingly began demanding tougher accountability and stronger protections for law-abiding citizens.
Now, Cooper’s record is becoming a major political liability as critics point to the growing number of repeat offenders tied to the release program — including individuals later accused of some of the most serious crimes imaginable.
Republicans argue the issue goes beyond politics and comes down to a basic responsibility of government: protecting innocent people first.
And as more details continue emerging from the database, many North Carolinians are asking whether public safety was sacrificed in the name of progressive political messaging during the pandemic years.