Ex-convict purchases a closed prison to help other former inmates rebuild life after release

A formerly incarcerated man buys prison property and turns a place once linked to punishment into a place built on hope, healing, and second chances.

Kerwin Pittman served 11 years and six months in prison after being convicted of conspiracy to commit murder at just 18 years old. This sentence shaped much of his early life and placed him behind walls few people ever see from the inside.

When Kerwin was released, he faced the same fear and uncertainty that thousands of people experience each year as they step back into society.

Eight years later, Kerwin returned to a place he once knew well. This time, however, he was not there as an inmate.

Instead, he bought the prison land with a clear vision: to help others avoid the struggles he had witnessed firsthand.

Turning a correctional facility into a former inmate rehabilitation campus

In a move believed to be the first of its kind in the United States, Kerwin purchased the former Wayne Correctional Center in Goldsboro, North Carolina.

He used money raised through donations and grants to buy the abandoned prison. Experts say Kerwin may be the first person who was once incarcerated to buy a prison facility.

His plan is to transform the site into a former inmate rehabilitation campus. Rather than allowing the buildings to sit empty, Kerwin wants to give them new meaning.

The campus is meant to support men coming out of jail or prison by offering housing, training, and stability in one place.

A former inmate buys prison after seeing friends struggle

After leaving prison, Kerwin worked hard to stay on track.

He also paid close attention to what happened to people around him. While some made it home safely, many others did not.

Housing was one of the biggest problems.

“I had family support, so I had housing. But a lot of my friends didn’t have any place to go. Or if they did, there was a time limit on how long they could stay,” he told NC Newsline.

Kerwin saw people return to jail not because they wanted to, but because they lacked support.

That experience stayed with him and helped shape his next steps.

Over time, he founded the Recidivism Reduction Educational Program Services, Inc., also known as RREPS.

The group focuses on helping people rebuild their lives after incarceration.

Inside the former inmate rehabilitation campus vision

The former Wayne Correctional Center was once designed to hold inmates, with space for hundreds of beds.

Kerwin plans to renovate the site so it no longer feels like a prison. His goal is to create a safe and stable place where men can focus on learning and growth.

Men living on the former inmate rehabilitation campus will be allowed to stay for 6 months.

During that time, they will receive job training in trades that can lead to steady work.

These include becoming electricians, plumbers, builders, and HVAC workers. By learning hands-on skills, residents can leave with real tools for the future.

“The campus would be like a stabilization phase for guys coming out of jail or prison, to give them a six-month pause so they can get their life back on track.”

The campus is designed to remove the stress of finding food and shelter so residents can focus on building a new life.

Breaking the costly cycle

Across the country, people leaving prison face major barriers. Many employers are hesitant to hire someone with a criminal record.

Housing is often hard to secure. Without income or stability, people can feel overwhelmed and hopeless. In some cases, prison can feel more predictable than life outside.

By bringing housing, job training, and support together in one place, Kerwin hopes to break that cycle.

A retired correctional officer, Mario Davis, has spoken about the value of the project. He explained that people leaving prison often have to travel to many different places to get help.

At Kerwin’s campus, services can be centralized, making success more possible.

The long-term plan allows about 300 people to live on campus at any given time.

Each group will stay for six months before moving on, making room for the next group. Over time, hundreds of men will pass through the program.

Guiding others through the hardest step after release

Kerwin understands the fear that comes with reentry.

He remembers walking out of prison not knowing what his future might look like. That memory drives his work and shapes how he connects with others.

“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.”

For Kerwin, the project is not just about buildings or job skills. It is about dignity, belief, and second chances.

Because a formerly incarcerated man buys prison land and gives it a new purpose, many others may now have a chance to rebuild their lives with hope instead of fear.

What was once a place of locked doors is becoming a doorway to new beginnings—one life, and one second chance, at a time.

Watch how a formerly incarcerated man buys prison and transforms it into hope in WCTI News 12’s inspiring report.