GPS RESEARCH LIBRARY: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative (NCJ 250936, 2017) ============================================================ Georgia Prisoners' Speak — gps.press Generated: 2026-09-14 13:24:16 EDT Research Date: 2026-09-06 Topic: Sentencing JSON: https://gps.press/research-data/assessing-the-impact-of-georgias-sentencing-reforms-justice-reinvestment-initiative-ncj-250936-2017/?format=json SUMMARY ---------------------------------------- This Urban Institute brief assesses the impact of Georgia's 2012 House Bill 1176 sentencing reforms under the Justice Reinvestment Initiative. The analysis finds that commitments to prison and probation for affected offenses declined 13% and 9% respectively between 2012 and 2015, while average sentence lengths fell for most offense categories, including a 23% decline in average prison sentences for drug possession. Preliminary data also indicate declines in time served in prison and on probation, and the state's overall prison population fell from a peak of 54,895 in 2012 to 52,962 by 2016. STATISTICS (36) ---------------------------------------- - [reported] Georgia prison population more than doubled 1990-2011 Between 1990 and 2011, Georgia's prison population more than doubled, and annual corrections spending grew to more than $1 billion. Tags: demographics,budget,policy Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [confirmed] Georgia prison population 2016 By 2016, the number of people incarcerated in Georgia's state prisons was 52,962, down from a peak of 54,895 in 2012. Value: 52962.0 people (vs. 54895 peak in 2012) Date: 2016-01-01 Tags: demographics,facilities Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative; Report of the Georgia Council on Criminal Justice Reform (2017) - [confirmed] Prison population decline from 2012 peak By the end of 2016, the prison population had fallen 3.5 percent from its peak in 2012 (from 54,895 to 52,962). Value: 3.5 percent Tags: demographics,trend Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative; Report of the Georgia Council on Criminal Justice Reform (2017) - [reported] Prison commitments declined 13 percent after H.B. 1176 Following implementation of H.B. 1176, commitments to prison for offenses affected by the legislation declined 13 percent, and probation commitments fell 9 percent. Value: 13.0 percent Tags: policy,sentencing,trend Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] Probation commitments declined 9 percent after H.B. 1176 Following implementation of H.B. 1176, probation commitments for affected offenses fell 9 percent. Value: 9.0 percent Tags: policy,sentencing,trend Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] Average prison sentence for drug possession fell 1.5 years The average prison sentence length for drug possession fell 1.5 years, from 7.2 years to 5.6 years (a 23 percent decline). Value: 1.5 years (vs. 7.2 pre-reform average) Tags: drugs,sentencing,policy Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] Average prison sentence for drug possession 2016 In 2016, the average prison sentence for drug possession was 5.6 years, a 23 percent decline since 2012. Value: 5.6 years (vs. 7.2 2012 average) Date: 2016-01-01 Tags: drugs,sentencing Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] Georgia prison system operating at 107 percent capacity in 2011 The state prison system was operating at 107 percent capacity in 2011. Value: 107.0 percent Date: 2011-01-01 Tags: facilities,conditions Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative; Report of the Georgia Council on Criminal Justice Reform (2014); 2012 Georgia Public Safety Reform: Legislation to Reduce Recidivism and Cut Corrections Costs; Report of the Special Council on Criminal Justice Reform for Georgians (2011) - [estimated] Projected prison population growth of 8 percent in five years Officials estimated the prison population would increase an additional 8 percent in five years, costing an additional $264 million. Value: 8.0 percent Tags: demographics,budget,policy Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative; Report of the Georgia Council on Criminal Justice Reform (2014); 2012 Georgia Public Safety Reform: Legislation to Reduce Recidivism and Cut Corrections Costs; Report of the Special Council on Criminal Justice Reform for Georgians (2011) - [estimated] Projected additional corrections cost of $264 million Officials estimated the prison population increase would cost an additional $264 million over five years. Value: 264.0 million dollars Tags: budget,policy Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative; Report of the Georgia Council on Criminal Justice Reform (2014); 2012 Georgia Public Safety Reform: Legislation to Reduce Recidivism and Cut Corrections Costs; Report of the Special Council on Criminal Justice Reform for Georgians (2011) - [reported] Recidivism rate stagnant for a decade Recidivism rates had remained stagnant for at least a decade, and approximately 30 percent of people released from prison were reconvicted of a felony within three years. Value: 30.0 percent Tags: recidivism,reentry Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative; 2012 Georgia Public Safety Reform: Legislation to Reduce Recidivism and Cut Corrections Costs - [reported] Overall commitments to prison and probation declined 10 percent Overall commitments to prison and probation for offenses affected by H.B. 1176 fell from 28,604 in 2012 to 25,784 in 2015, a 10 percent decline. Value: 10.0 percent Tags: sentencing,policy,trend Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] Total commitments 2012 Overall commitments to prison and probation for offenses affected by H.B. 1176 were 28,604 in 2012. Value: 28604.0 commitments Date: 2012-01-01 Tags: sentencing,policy Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] Total commitments 2015 Overall commitments to prison and probation for offenses affected by H.B. 1176 were 25,784 in 2015. Value: 25784.0 commitments Date: 2015-01-01 Tags: sentencing,policy Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] Share of probation commitments rose 1 percentage point The share of commitments to probation (relative to prison) increased slightly after H.B. 1176 took effect, rising 1 percentage point from 74 to 75 percent of commitments. Value: 1.0 percentage points Tags: sentencing,policy,trend Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] Prison sentence length for burglary fell 6 percent Between 2012 and 2016, prison sentence length for burglary fell 6 percent, from 11.0 to 10.4 years. Value: 6.0 percent Tags: sentencing,policy Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] Probation sentence length for burglary fell 9 percent Probation sentences for burglary fell 9 percent, from 8.7 to 8.0 years between 2012 and 2016. Value: 9.0 percent Tags: sentencing,policy Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] Average probation sentence for drug possession fell 29 percent The average probation sentence for drug possession fell 29 percent between 2012 and 2016 from 5.3 to 3.8 years. Value: 29.0 percent Tags: drugs,sentencing,policy Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] Average probation sentence for drug possession 2016 The average probation sentence for drug possession was 3.8 years in 2016, down from 5.3 years in 2012. Value: 3.8 years (vs. 5.3 2012 average) Date: 2016-01-01 Tags: drugs,sentencing Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] Burglary commitments declined 10 percent Between 2012 and 2015, total commitments to prison and probation for burglary fell from 8,136 to 7,323, a 10 percent decline. Value: 10.0 percent Tags: sentencing,policy,trend Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] Total burglary commitments 2012 Total commitments to prison and probation for burglary were 8,136 in 2012. Value: 8136.0 commitments Date: 2012-01-01 Tags: sentencing,policy Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] Total burglary commitments 2015 Total commitments to prison and probation for burglary were 7,323 in 2015. Value: 7323.0 commitments Date: 2015-01-01 Tags: sentencing,policy Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] 70 percent of classified prison burglary commitments were first-degree in 2015 In 2015, 70 percent of classified prison burglary commitments were classified as first degree. Value: 70.0 percent Date: 2015-01-01 Tags: sentencing,policy Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] 67 percent of classified probation burglary commitments were first-degree in 2015 In 2015, 67 percent of classified probation burglary commitments were classified as first degree. Value: 67.0 percent Date: 2015-01-01 Tags: sentencing,policy Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] Mean prison sentence for first-degree burglary 2016 In 2016, the mean prison sentence for first-degree burglary was 11.9 years. Value: 11.9 years Date: 2016-01-01 Tags: sentencing,policy Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] Mean prison sentence for second-degree burglary 2016 In 2016, the mean prison sentence for second-degree burglary was 9.3 years. Value: 9.3 years Date: 2016-01-01 Tags: sentencing,policy Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] Mean probation sentence for first-degree burglary 2016 In 2016, the mean probation sentence for first-degree burglary was 7.9 years. Value: 7.9 years Date: 2016-01-01 Tags: sentencing,policy Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] Mean probation sentence for second-degree burglary 2016 In 2016, the mean probation sentence for second-degree burglary was 5.8 years. Value: 5.8 years Date: 2016-01-01 Tags: sentencing,policy Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] Annual prison commitments fell 17.4 percent 2010-2016 Annual commitments to prison fell 17.4 percent between 2010 and 2016 (from 21,841 to 18,035). Value: 17.4 percent Tags: sentencing,trend,policy Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative; Report of the Georgia Council on Criminal Justice Reform (2017) - [reported] Prison commitments 2010 Annual commitments to prison were 21,841 in 2010. Value: 21841.0 commitments Date: 2010-01-01 Tags: sentencing Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative; Report of the Georgia Council on Criminal Justice Reform (2017) - [reported] Prison commitments 2016 Annual commitments to prison were 18,035 in 2016. Value: 18035.0 commitments Date: 2016-01-01 Tags: sentencing Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative; Report of the Georgia Council on Criminal Justice Reform (2017) - [reported] Share of prison population convicted of most serious offenses rose The share of the prison population convicted of the most serious offenses rose from 58 percent in 2009 to 67 percent in 2017. Value: 67.0 percent (vs. 58 2009 share) Tags: demographics,trend,policy Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative; Report of the Georgia Council on Criminal Justice Reform (2017) - [reported] Jail backlog fell 84 percent The jail backlog has fallen 84 percent from a high of 5,338 in March 2009 to 818 in January 2016. Value: 84.0 percent Tags: facilities,conditions,trend Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative; Report of the Georgia Council on Criminal Justice Reform (2017) - [reported] Jail backlog high of 5,338 in March 2009 The jail backlog reached a high of 5,338 in March 2009. Value: 5338.0 people Date: 2009-03-01 Tags: facilities,conditions Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative; Report of the Georgia Council on Criminal Justice Reform (2017) - [reported] Jail backlog 818 in January 2016 The jail backlog was 818 in January 2016. Value: 818.0 people Date: 2016-01-01 Tags: facilities,conditions Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative; Report of the Georgia Council on Criminal Justice Reform (2017) - [reported] Nearly 56,000 people incarcerated in Georgia prisons in 2011 In 2011, nearly 56,000 people were incarcerated in Georgia's prison system. Value: 56000.0 people Date: 2011-01-01 Tags: demographics,facilities Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative FINDINGS (16) ---------------------------------------- - [reported] Georgia had one of nation's highest incarceration rates Georgia had one of the nation's highest incarceration rates and was spending more than $1 billion each year on corrections in 2011. Date: 2011-01-01 Tags: demographics,budget Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] Prison and probation commitments both declined in Georgia That prison and probation commitments both declined in Georgia is notable given the specific sentencing and classification changes made for these offense categories. Prison commitments fell, but so did probation commitments, suggesting that the effects of the reforms extended beyond shifting a certain number of would-be prison admissions to probation. Tags: sentencing,policy,trend Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] Declining commitments held in four of six offense categories The trend of declining commitments to both prison and probation held within four of the six offense categories analyzed. Between 2012 and 2015, there were fewer commitments to prison and probation for burglary, forgery, fraud, and theft. Shoplifting commitments to both prison and probation rose. Prison commitments for drug possession stayed fairly steady while probation commitments increased. Tags: sentencing,policy,trend Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] Sentence lengths declined after decade of growth Sentence lengths for people sentenced to prison and probation have declined after implementation of H.B. 1176. For most offense categories affected by the legislation, sentences have been getting shorter, on average, after more than a decade of consistent growth. Tags: sentencing,policy,trend Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] Largest sentence decreases among burglary and drug possession The largest decreases in sentence lengths were among burglary and drug possession, the offenses with the highest number of admissions each year. Tags: sentencing,drugs,policy Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] Systemwide shift toward less punitive sentencing Sentence lengths became shorter for most offenses affected by H.B. 1176. Further, this changing landscape shortened probation sentences, indicating a systemwide shift toward less punitive sentencing for these offenses. Tags: sentencing,policy,trend Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] Length of stay in prison declined post-reform Preliminary analysis of exit trends for people in prison and on probation suggests people are serving less time in prison following H.B. 1176 implementation. Fewer people remained in prison after one, two, and three years for each postreform admission cohort compared with the 2012 (prereform) admission cohort. Tags: sentencing,policy,trend Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] Probation terms ended earlier post-reform Compared with the 2012 admission cohort, people beginning probation after H.B. 1176 implementation tended to have their terms end earlier. Of those who started probation terms after the reforms took effect (the 2013, 2014, and 2015 cohorts), a lower percentage were still on probation after one, two, and three years compared with those who began probation in 2012. Tags: sentencing,policy,trend,parole Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] Many burglary commitments remained unclassified through 2015 Many burglary commitments remained unclassified through 2015, but the proportion of unclassified cases has declined steadily since implementation. Burglary commitments could be unclassified in 2015 for several reasons, including delays in case processing, probation revocation admissions retaining prereform offense codes, or delays in adopting the new classification policy. Tags: sentencing,policy,data_gap Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [estimated] Shoplifting commitments may have risen due to charging practice changes One reason for the increase in shoplifting commitments may be a change in charging practices because of the reforms. The felony threshold for theft was raised to $1,500, but the shoplifting threshold only increased to $500. It is possible that the rise in shoplifting commitments resulted in part from cases being charged as shoplifting that previously would have been theft. Tags: sentencing,policy,trend Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] No evidence of split sentence time shift Researchers considered that declines in prison time served could reflect a rise in time spent on probation as opposed to prison as part of a split sentence. Their analysis did not reveal evidence of this phenomenon. The prison admission cohorts estimated to have split sentences who entered prison after H.B. 1176 implementation tended to end their entire term (prison plus probation) earlier, compared with prereform cohorts. Tags: sentencing,policy,methodology Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] Revocation admissions contributed to unclassified burglary cases When revocations were eliminated from the analysis, the fraction of cases still unclassified in 2015 declined significantly, but was not eliminated. Offense codes carried over because of revocation admissions appear to have played a role, but other factors, such as the natural timing of case processing and delays in practice change, are likely to have affected burglary classification a few years after reform. Tags: sentencing,policy,methodology Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] Prison population growth driven by policy decisions The analysis determined that the large and growing prison population was a result of policy decisions about who was being sent to prison and for how long. Many people evaluated as 'low risk' were in prison, but alternatives to incarceration were scarce, and resources to supervise people on probation and parole were insufficient. Date: 2011-01-01 Tags: policy,demographics,parole Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative; 2012 Georgia Public Safety Reform: Legislation to Reduce Recidivism and Cut Corrections Costs - [reported] Evidence of reduced incarceration for affected offenses Based on analysis of commitments, sentence lengths, and time served, there is evidence of reduced incarceration for offenses affected by H.B. 1176 reforms. After the bill's passage, the number of probation commitments declined, as did admissions to prison. Mean prison and probation sentence lengths also declined for most offenses, and initial trends indicate a decline in time served in prison and on probation. Tags: sentencing,policy,trend Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] H.B. 1176 one element of broader reform efforts House Bill 1176 was only one element of the state's efforts to reform its justice system through the Justice Reinvestment Initiative. The trends observed in Georgia occurred within a broader context of significant policy change. Tags: policy,legislation Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] Georgia continuing criminal justice reform through legislation Georgia is continuing to pursue criminal justice reform through legislation that will likely contribute to changes in the metrics studied. Analyzing and tracking outcomes will be essential as the state works on these issues. Date: 2017-01-01 Tags: policy,legislation Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative LEGAL FACTS (25) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] H.B. 1176 signed into law May 2, 2012 House Bill 1176 was signed into law by Republican Governor Nathan Deal on May 2, 2012. The bill passed unanimously in both the House and Senate. Date: 2012-05-02 Tags: legal,policy,legislation Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [confirmed] H.B. 1176 provisions implemented July 1, 2012 Provisions in the bill began to be implemented on July 1, 2012, the beginning of fiscal year 2013. Select provisions related to drug possession did not take effect immediately and were scheduled to be implemented in 2013 or 2014. Date: 2012-07-01 Tags: legal,policy,legislation Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [confirmed] H.B. 1176 created two degrees of burglary H.B. 1176 created two degrees of burglary with different sentencing requirements based on severity. Second-degree burglary (nondwelling building) maximum sentence was decreased from 20 years to 5 years for first conviction and 8 years for second conviction. Date: 2012-01-01 Tags: legal,policy,legislation Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative; House Bill 1176, 2011-12 Reg. Sess. (Ga. 2012) - [confirmed] H.B. 1176 raised felony theft threshold from $500 to $1,500 H.B. 1176 raised the felony theft threshold from $500 to $1,500 and created a graduated scale of penalties based on value of stolen items. Date: 2012-01-01 Tags: legal,policy,legislation Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative; House Bill 1176, 2011-12 Reg. Sess. (Ga. 2012) - [confirmed] H.B. 1176 raised felony shoplifting threshold from $300 to $500 H.B. 1176 raised the felony shoplifting threshold from $300 to $500. Date: 2012-01-01 Tags: legal,policy,legislation Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative; House Bill 1176, 2011-12 Reg. Sess. (Ga. 2012) - [confirmed] H.B. 1176 raised felony fraud threshold from $500 to $1,500 H.B. 1176 raised the felony fraud threshold from $500 to $1,500. Date: 2012-01-01 Tags: legal,policy,legislation Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative; House Bill 1176, 2011-12 Reg. Sess. (Ga. 2012) - [confirmed] H.B. 1176 created graduated drug possession penalties H.B. 1176 created degrees of drug possession based on weight and a corresponding graduated scale of penalties, reduced the minimum and maximum sentence length for all drug weights, and removed drug possession from the recidivist statute. Date: 2012-01-01 Tags: drugs,legal,policy,legislation Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative; House Bill 1176, 2011-12 Reg. Sess. (Ga. 2012) - [confirmed] H.B. 1176 created new degrees of forgery H.B. 1176 created new degrees of forgery based on seriousness of the offense and a corresponding graduated scale of penalties, allowed some forgeries (fourth degree) to be categorized as misdemeanors, and increased maximum sentence for the most serious forgeries. Date: 2012-01-01 Tags: legal,policy,legislation Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative; House Bill 1176, 2011-12 Reg. Sess. (Ga. 2012) - [confirmed] H.B. 265 formed Special Council on Criminal Justice Reform In April 2011, H.B. 265 set reform efforts in motion by forming the Special Council on Criminal Justice Reform for Georgians, a group with bipartisan representation from all three branches of government, and the Joint Committee on Criminal Justice Reform. Date: 2011-04-01 Tags: legal,policy,legislation Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative; 2012 Georgia Public Safety Reform: Legislation to Reduce Recidivism and Cut Corrections Costs; Report of the Special Council on Criminal Justice Reform for Georgians (2011) - [confirmed] H.B. 242 addressed juvenile justice reform in 2013 In 2013, the state tackled juvenile justice reform through H.B. 242, which focused on reducing the number of youths, especially those charged with low-level offenses, housed in out-of-home facilities, instead diverting them to community-based alternative programs. Date: 2013-01-01 Tags: legal,policy,legislation,juvenile Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [confirmed] H.B. 310 merged probation and parole into one state agency Georgia enacted legislative reforms including merging probation and parole into one state agency (H.B. 310). Tags: legal,policy,legislation,parole Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [confirmed] H.B. 328 and Senate Bill 367 strengthened accountability courts Georgia enacted legislative reforms including strengthening the state's accountability courts (H.B. 328 and Senate Bill 367). Tags: legal,policy,legislation,courts Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] Senate Bill 174 probation reforms signed May 9, 2017 State officials anticipate that probation reforms included in Senate Bill 174, signed by the governor May 9, 2017, will further reduce time served on probation through behavioral incentive dates, which automatically trigger the end of some probation terms after three years. Date: 2017-05-09 Tags: legal,policy,legislation,parole Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [confirmed] Pre-H.B. 1176 burglary penalties Pre-H.B. 1176 burglary penalties: first conviction (any building) 1-20 years, probation eligible; second conviction (any building) 2-20 years, probation eligible; third conviction (any building) 5-20 years, not probation eligible. Tags: legal,sentencing Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative; House Bill 1176, 2011-12 Reg. Sess. (Ga. 2012) - [confirmed] Post-H.B. 1176 burglary penalties Post-H.B. 1176 burglary penalties: second degree (nondwelling building) first conviction 1-5 years, second+ conviction 1-8 years, probation eligible until 4th conviction; first degree (any building) first conviction 1-20 years, second+ conviction 2-20 years, third+ conviction 5-25 years, probation eligible until 4th conviction. Date: 2012-01-01 Tags: legal,sentencing Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative; House Bill 1176, 2011-12 Reg. Sess. (Ga. 2012) - [confirmed] Pre-H.B. 1176 drug possession penalties Pre-H.B. 1176 drug possession penalties for Schedule I & II narcotics (any amount): first conviction 2-15 years, second+ conviction 5-30 years. Tags: drugs,legal,sentencing Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative; House Bill 1176, 2011-12 Reg. Sess. (Ga. 2012) - [confirmed] Post-H.B. 1176 drug possession penalties Post-H.B. 1176 drug possession penalties for Schedule I & II narcotics: less than 1 gram 1-3 years (third+ convictions max penalty doubled); 1-4 grams 1-8 years (third+ convictions max penalty doubled); 4+ grams 1-15 years (third+ convictions max penalty doubled). Date: 2012-01-01 Tags: drugs,legal,sentencing Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative; House Bill 1176, 2011-12 Reg. Sess. (Ga. 2012) - [confirmed] Pre-H.B. 1176 theft penalties Pre-H.B. 1176 theft penalties: under $500 misdemeanor; $500+ 1-10 years or misdemeanor. Tags: legal,sentencing Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative; House Bill 1176, 2011-12 Reg. Sess. (Ga. 2012) - [confirmed] Post-H.B. 1176 theft penalties Post-H.B. 1176 theft penalties: $1,500 or less misdemeanor; $1,500-$5,000 1-5 years or misdemeanor; $5,000-$25,000 1-10 years or misdemeanor; $25,000+ 2-20 years. Date: 2012-01-01 Tags: legal,sentencing Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative; House Bill 1176, 2011-12 Reg. Sess. (Ga. 2012) - [confirmed] Pre-H.B. 1176 shoplifting penalties Pre-H.B. 1176 shoplifting penalties: $300 or less misdemeanor; $300+ 1-10 years. Tags: legal,sentencing Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative; House Bill 1176, 2011-12 Reg. Sess. (Ga. 2012) - [confirmed] Post-H.B. 1176 shoplifting penalties Post-H.B. 1176 shoplifting penalties: under $100 misdemeanor, fine up to $500 and/or up to 1 year; $100-$300 misdemeanor, fine up to $1,000 and/or up to 1 year; $300-$500 high and aggravated misdemeanor; $500+ felony, fine $500-$5,000 and/or up to 3 years. Date: 2012-01-01 Tags: legal,sentencing Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative; House Bill 1176, 2011-12 Reg. Sess. (Ga. 2012) - [confirmed] Pre-H.B. 1176 fraud penalties Pre-H.B. 1176 fraud penalties: $500 or less misdemeanor; $500+ 1-10 years. Tags: legal,sentencing Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative; House Bill 1176, 2011-12 Reg. Sess. (Ga. 2012) - [confirmed] Post-H.B. 1176 fraud penalties Post-H.B. 1176 fraud penalties: under $500 misdemeanor; $500-$1,000 misdemeanor, fine up to $500 and/or up to 1 year; $1,000-$1,500 misdemeanor, fine up to $1,000 and/or up to 1 year; $1,500+ high and aggravated misdemeanor or felony, fine $500-$5,000 and/or up to 3 years. Date: 2012-01-01 Tags: legal,sentencing Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative; House Bill 1176, 2011-12 Reg. Sess. (Ga. 2012) - [confirmed] Pre-H.B. 1176 forgery penalties Pre-H.B. 1176 forgery penalties: first and second convictions misdemeanor; third+ convictions felony, 1-5 years. Tags: legal,sentencing Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative; House Bill 1176, 2011-12 Reg. Sess. (Ga. 2012) - [confirmed] Post-H.B. 1176 forgery penalties Post-H.B. 1176 forgery penalties: fourth degree 1-5 years; second or third degree 1-5 years; first degree 1-15 years. Date: 2012-01-01 Tags: legal,sentencing Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative; House Bill 1176, 2011-12 Reg. Sess. (Ga. 2012) POLICYS (4) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] Georgia Prisoner Reentry Initiative created in 2014 In 2014, the state created the Georgia Prisoner Reentry Initiative to reduce recidivism among formerly incarcerated people. Date: 2014-01-01 Tags: reentry,policy,program Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [confirmed] Justice Reinvestment Initiative jointly funded by Pew and BJA State leaders sought support for reform efforts through the Justice Reinvestment Initiative, a public-private partnership jointly funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Bureau of Justice Assistance at the US Department of Justice. Date: 2011-01-01 Tags: policy,operations Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [confirmed] H.B. 1176 goals House Bill 1176 sought to improve the state's criminal justice system by revising felony thresholds and sentencing structures for drug and property crimes to focus prison space on the most serious offenses, strengthening probation and alternative sentencing options, relieving local jail crowding, and improving performance measurement systems. Date: 2012-01-01 Tags: policy,legislation,sentencing Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] Council on Criminal Justice Reform oversaw implementation The Council on Criminal Justice Reform has overseen implementation and made recommendations for new legislative priorities to tackle. Tags: policy,operations Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative DATA GAPS (4) ---------------------------------------- - [reported] Data limitations prevented causal conclusions The ability to draw conclusions about causal factors motivating observed changes was limited because of data availability. Except for burglary, researchers could not distinguish among different degrees of offenses or observe trends specific to the newly created offense categories. The data contained no information on the weight or quantity of drugs, making it impossible to differentiate between degrees of drug possession commitments. Date: 2017-01-01 Tags: data_gap,methodology,drugs,sentencing Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] Could not classify commitments as felonies or misdemeanors Researchers could not classify commitments as felonies or misdemeanors, so they could only observe the effects of shifting felony thresholds through indirect measures, such as total commitments, sentence length, and time served. Date: 2017-01-01 Tags: data_gap,methodology,sentencing Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] Could not link arrest data to commitments data Researchers could not link arrest data to commitments data because there were no consistent coding systems or individual identifiers between these two datasets. This limited the ability to isolate sentencing reforms as the main driver of observed changes. Date: 2017-01-01 Tags: data_gap,methodology Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] State lacked comprehensive performance measurement system The state lacked a comprehensive performance measurement system to evaluate criminal justice system outcomes. Date: 2011-01-01 Tags: data_gap,policy Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative; 2012 Georgia Public Safety Reform: Legislation to Reduce Recidivism and Cut Corrections Costs METHODOLOGY NOTES (4) ---------------------------------------- - [reported] Fraud commitments small sample size The number of fraud commitments is small (between 2 and 12 per year). Dramatic changes in average sentence length in this category are likely because of this small n size. Tags: methodology,sentencing Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [reported] Too few fraud cases for meaningful length of stay analysis There were too few fraud cases to conduct a meaningful analysis of length of stay trends. Tags: methodology,sentencing Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [confirmed] Analysis used individual-level data on commitments and prison admissions The analysis used individual-level data on commitments and prison admissions in Georgia, provided by Applied Research Services Inc. Date: 2017-01-01 Tags: methodology Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative - [confirmed] Pew and partners provided technical assistance Pew and its partners at Applied Research Services Inc. and the Crime and Justice Institute provided technical assistance to the Special Council on Criminal Justice Reform for Georgians. Date: 2011-01-01 Tags: methodology,operations Sources: Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative DATASETS (3) ---------------------------------------- # Commitments by Offense Type, 2012-2015 Prison and probation commitments by offense type for offenses affected by H.B. 1176, comparing 2012 and 2015 with percentage change. Offense Prison Commitments 2012 Prison Commitments 2015 Prison Change Probation Commitments 2012 Probation Commitments 2015 Probation Change ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Burglary 3176 2840 -10.6% 4960 4483 -9.6% Drug possession 1172 1170 -0.2% 6145 7658 24.6% Forgery 1175 667 -43.2% 3217 1824 -43.3% Fraud 3 2 -33.3% 70 24 -65.7% Shoplifting 395 495 25.3% 1135 1236 8.9% Theft 1571 1332 -15.2% 5585 4053 -27.4% Total 7492 6506 -13.2% 21112 19278 -8.7% # Trends in Length of Stay in Prison (Percentage Remaining in Prison by Fiscal Year Cohort) Percentage of prison admission cohorts remaining in prison at end of years 1, 2, 3, and 4, comparing prereform and postreform cohorts. Fiscal Year Cohort End of Year 1 End of Year 2 End of Year 3 End of Year 4 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2000 77.2 40.9 19.6 11.3 2001 76.5 40.5 19.1 10.4 2002 81.3 40.3 16.9 8.9 2003 79.7 34.7 15.9 8.3 2004 81.3 34.5 14 7 2005 80.2 39.7 17.5 7.8 2006 82.4 42.4 18.4 8.4 2007 84.4 42.9 17.3 7.5 2008 83.8 43.6 17.2 7.2 2009 85 43 16.4 7.2 2010 79.9 39.8 18.7 8.1 2011 84.5 47.8 19.6 9.4 2012 83.4 44.5 17.2 8.9 2013 78.4 37.9 16.3 2014 75.8 37.5 2015 79.9 # Trends in Length of Stay on Probation (Percentage Remaining on Probation by Fiscal Year Cohort) Percentage of probation admission cohorts remaining on probation at end of years 1, 2, 3, and 4, comparing prereform and postreform cohorts. Fiscal Year Cohort End of Year 1 End of Year 2 End of Year 3 End of Year 4 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2000 92.2 67.9 52.9 40.8 2001 91.3 76.2 62.2 48.9 2002 90.7 78.5 65 52 2003 91.8 79.9 66.2 52.7 2004 91.1 79.7 65.7 51.9 2005 92.3 80.2 66.9 53.1 2006 93.4 82.3 68.6 54.3 2007 94.3 84.3 70.6 55.8 2008 94.2 84.1 71.5 55.9 2009 94.6 85.8 72.6 54.9 2010 95.8 85.5 71 54.8 2011 94.5 82.2 68.6 53.8 2012 92.7 82.2 69.9 56.4 2013 91 81.2 68.9 2014 90.3 80.1 2015 91.1 KEY ENTITIES (22) ---------------------------------------- - Applied Research Services Inc. [organization]: Organization that provided data and technical assistance for the analysis of Georgia's criminal justice system. (aka: ARS) - Bryce Peterson [person]: Senior research associate in the Justice Policy Center at the Urban Institute and co-author of the report. - Bureau of Justice Assistance [organization]: Federal agency within DOJ that assumed responsibility for DCRA data collection from BJS around 2019, after which data quality and transparency deteriorated significantly. (aka: BJA) - Crime and Justice Institute [organization]: Organization that provided technical assistance to the Special Council on Criminal Justice Reform for Georgians. - Elizabeth Pelletier [person]: Research associate in the Justice Policy Center at the Urban Institute and co-author of the report. - Georgia Council on Criminal Justice Reform [organization]: Reform body created under Governor Nathan Deal in 2013 that was a national model for evidence-based reform; influence waned after Deal left office in 2019 - Georgia Department of Corrections [organization]: State agency responsible for operating Georgia's prison system. Subject of federal DOJ investigation in 2022-2023 for constitutional violations including food-related deaths. (aka: GDC) - Georgia Prisoner Reentry Initiative [program]: Initiative launched in November 2013 by the Georgia Criminal Justice Reform Council to improve public safety by reducing crime through a seamless plan of services and supervision for returning citizens. (aka: GA-PRI) - House Bill 1176 [legislation]: Comprehensive criminal justice reform legislation signed into law by Governor Nathan Deal in May 2012, restructuring offense classifications and sentencing policies. (aka: H.B. 1176, HB 1176) - House Bill 242 [legislation]: Juvenile justice reform legislation passed in 2013 focused on reducing the number of youths housed in out-of-home facilities. (aka: H.B. 242) - House Bill 265 [legislation]: Legislation passed in April 2011 that formed the Special Council on Criminal Justice Reform for Georgians and the Joint Committee on Criminal Justice Reform. (aka: H.B. 265) - House Bill 310 [legislation]: Legislation that merged probation and parole into one state agency. (aka: H.B. 310) - House Bill 328 [legislation]: Legislation that strengthened Georgia's accountability courts. (aka: H.B. 328) - John Speir [person]: Staff member at Applied Research Services Inc. who assisted with obtaining data and provided feedback for the report. - Justice Reinvestment Initiative [program]: Pew-supported initiative that worked with 30+ states to implement data-driven criminal justice reform, including Texas and Louisiana. (aka: JRI) - Nathan Deal [person]: Former Georgia Governor (2011-2019) whose justice reinvestment reforms (2012-2015) resulted in a 6% prison population decrease, $264M in averted costs, and $57M reinvested. (aka: Governor Deal) - Pew Charitable Trusts [organization]: Nonpartisan research organization; co-authored Prison Health Care Costs and Quality report with Vera Institute - Ryan King [person]: Senior fellow in the Justice Policy Center at the Urban Institute and co-author of the report. - Senate Bill 174 [legislation]: Legislation passed in 2017 that included a provision requiring the Board to consider commuting the sentences of specific offenders serving a split sentence who have successfully completed twelve consecutive months of parole supervision (O.C.G.A. § 42-8-21). (aka: SB174, SB 174) - Senate Bill 367 [legislation]: Legislation that strengthened Georgia's accountability courts. (aka: SB 367) - Special Council on Criminal Justice Reform for Georgians [organization]: Bipartisan group formed by H.B. 265 in April 2011 with representation from all three branches of government to analyze Georgia's criminal justice system and make reform recommendations. (aka: SCCJRG, Special Council) - Urban Institute [organization]: Research organization that evaluated the VOI/TIS grant program (Sabol et al. 2002) and published 'Stemming the Tide' (2013) on federal prison system costs. SOURCES (10) ---------------------------------------- - 2012 Georgia Public Safety Reform: Legislation to Reduce Recidivism and Cut Corrections Costs, Pew Center on the States / The Pew Charitable Trusts (2012-01-01) [official_report, primary] - Assessing the Impact of Georgia's Sentencing Reforms: Justice Reinvestment Initiative, Urban Institute Justice Policy Center by Elizabeth Pelletier, Bryce Peterson, Ryan King (2017-07-01) [official_report, primary] URL: http://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/91731/ga_policy_assessment.pdf - Assessing the Impact of South Dakota's Sentencing Reforms, Urban Institute by Brian Elderbroom, Samuel Bieler, Bryce Peterson, Samantha Harvell (2016-01-01) [official_report, primary] - Georgia H.B. 1176: Summary of Provisions from the Report of the Special Council on Criminal Justice Reform, Special Council on Criminal Justice Reform for Georgians (2012-01-01) [official_report, primary] - House Bill 1176, 2011-12 Reg. Sess. (Ga. 2012), Georgia General Assembly (2012-01-01) [legislation, primary] - Justice Reinvestment Initiative State Assessment Report, Urban Institute by Nancy G. La Vigne, Samuel Bieler, Lindsey Cramer, Helen Ho, Cybele Kotonias, Debbie Mayer, Dave McClure, Laura Pacifici, Erika Parks, Bryce Peterson, Julie Samuels (2014-01-01) [official_report, primary] - Report of the Georgia Council on Criminal Justice Reform (2014), Georgia Council on Criminal Justice Reform (2014-01-01) [official_report, primary] - Report of the Georgia Council on Criminal Justice Reform (2016), Georgia Council on Criminal Justice Reform (2016-01-01) [official_report, primary] - Report of the Georgia Council on Criminal Justice Reform (2017), Georgia Council on Criminal Justice Reform (2017-01-01) [official_report, primary] - Report of the Special Council on Criminal Justice Reform for Georgians (2011), Special Council on Criminal Justice Reform for Georgians (2011-01-01) [official_report, primary]