Former inmate buys old Wayne County prison for reentry programs

Former Prison Purchased by Nonprofit Founded by Ex-Inmate

The former Wayne Correctional Center in Goldsboro, which closed in 2013, has been purchased by a nonprofit founded by a formerly incarcerated man, according to WITN.

About the Purchase

Kerwin Pittman is the founder and executive director of the Recidivism Reduction Education Program Services (RREPS). He was once an inmate in a prison.

Pittman now owns the former prison and plans to turn it into a place of freedom instead of confinement.

Pittman’s Vision

“For me to be a beacon of light in somebody’s life when they’re in a dark place, I know how it feels,” Pittman said. “I remember when I was in that dark place of having to transition and not knowing what the possibility of my life could become, so to be able to guide somebody into that next step is extremely important, and I’m grateful to be able to do it.”

Pittman spent 11 and a half years in a state correctional facility. He plans to use his experience to help others.

Transforming the Facility

Through RREPS, he purchased the former Wayne Correctional Center. He aims to transform it into a reentry housing and workforce campus. This will be a place where people can stay while they transition back into society.

“I love to give people the opportunity to have a better life,” Pittman said.

Significance of the Purchase

Pittman stated that this is the first time a formerly incarcerated person in the U.S. has bought a prison and led a nonprofit to repurpose it.

Retired correctional officer Mario Davis, who worked in the system for 20 years, believes the new campus is game-changing for those seeking a fresh start.

Services Offered

“Normally, people will go to a halfway house or a reentry house, and those individuals will have to go outside for services, but what he’s done here is bringing formerly incarcerated people in, so they don’t have to go out to get services,” Davis said.

The campus will offer transitional residency, workforce development, job placement, educational opportunities, and other programs for justice-impacted individuals.

Future Plans

Pittman aims to open the new campus within the next two years. RREPS purchased the prison for just under $1 million, funded by donations, grants, and philanthropic support.