80% of inmates fall behind on bills during incarceration. Financial literacy programs reduce recidivism by up to 30%. People leave Georgia prisons with no bank account, no credit history, and no understanding of how to manage money legally. Financial instability pushes them back toward crime. For every $1 spent on financial education, taxpayers save $4-5 in reduced incarceration costs. Georgia spends almost nothing on financial literacy—and pays billions for the consequences. 1
The Financial Barrier
Formerly incarcerated people face impossible financial hurdles:
- No credit history—years inside erased any record
- No bank access—many institutions won’t serve people with criminal records
- Can’t cover emergencies—one crisis triggers reoffending
- Predatory lenders target them—payday loans with 300-400% APR
Financial desperation drives recidivism. Education prevents it.
What Works
Research proves financial literacy reduces reoffending:
- Up to 30% reduction in recidivism for program participants
- Better access to housing—understanding leases and credit requirements
- Higher employment rates—financial stability enables job retention
- $4-5 saved per $1 spent—cost-effective crime prevention
Programs work best when offered before release, combined with employment assistance and housing support.
Key Skills Programs Teach
Effective programs cover practical financial knowledge:
- Basic banking—account management, avoiding fees, mobile banking
- Credit building—understanding credit reports, repair strategies
- Debt management—loan types, interest rates, reduction plans
- Budgeting—income tracking, expense planning, emergency funds
Programs that direct participants to credit unions—which have lower fees and fewer requirements—show the best results.
What Georgia Lacks
Georgia’s prisons offer minimal financial education:
- No statewide financial literacy requirement
- Limited funding for existing programs
- Staff shortages prevent consistent program delivery
- No post-release financial support
The state releases financially illiterate people into a world that requires financial competence—then imprisons them again when they fail.
Take Action
Use Impact Justice AI to send advocacy emails demanding financial literacy programs in Georgia prisons. The free tool crafts personalized messages to Georgia lawmakers—no experience required.
Demand:
- Financial literacy education before release
- Partnerships with credit unions for banking access
- Post-release financial counseling
- Protection from predatory lenders
Further Reading
- How Prison Education Lowers Recidivism Costs
- $700 Million More—And Nothing to Show for It
- GPS Informational Resources
- Pathways to Success
About Georgia Prisoners’ Speak (GPS)
Georgia Prisoners’ Speak (GPS) is a nonprofit investigative newsroom built in partnership with incarcerated reporters, families, advocates, and data analysts. Operating independently from the Georgia Department of Corrections, GPS documents the truth the state refuses to acknowledge: extreme violence, fatal medical neglect, gang-controlled dorms, collapsed staffing, fraudulent reporting practices, and unconstitutional conditions across Georgia’s prisons.
Through confidential reporting channels, secure communication, evidence verification, public-records requests, legislative research, and professional investigative standards, GPS provides the transparency the system lacks. Our mission is to expose abuses, protect incarcerated people, support families, and push Georgia toward meaningful reform based on human rights, evidence, and public accountability.
Every article is part of a larger fight — to end the silence, reveal the truth, and demand justice.
- GPS Statistics, https://gps.press/gdc-statistics/[↩]