GPS RESEARCH LIBRARY: Recidivism & Reentry Failures in Georgia ============================================================ Georgia Prisoners' Speak — gps.press Generated: 2026-03-07 03:47:46 EST Research Date: 2026-02-02 JSON: https://gps.press/research/recidivism-reentry-failures-in-georgia/?format=json SUMMARY ---------------------------------------- Georgia's prison system releases 14,000 to 16,000 people annually into communities with minimal support, yet the state reports a three-year felony reconviction rate of just 25–27 percent — a figure that conceals a far grimmer reality. When adjusted to include technical violations, arrest without conviction, and extended measurement windows, Georgia's actual return-to-incarceration rate approaches 50 percent, roughly double the official metric. This methodological sleight of hand masks a systemic failure: people leave Georgia prisons demonstrably worse than when they entered, according to a damning October 2024 Department of Justice investigation that documented "among the most severe violations of civil rights" the federal agency has encountered. The financial architecture reveals the problem. Georgia spends $1.48 billion annually on corrections — a budget that has swelled by $214 million in just two fiscal years under Governor Brian Kemp's reversal of the Deal-era justice reinvestment approach. Yet vocational education receives only $172,000, or $3.44 per incarcerated person per year. Meanwhile, 50,000 incarcerated people cycle through facilities where the DOJ found educational programming slashed, mental health resources absent, and conditions so violent that meaningful programming is effectively impossible. The 12 transition centers with 2,344 beds serve fewer than 15 percent of annual releases. Post-release, 78 percent of men and 66 percent of women lack health insurance at two to three months; overdose risk in the first two weeks surges to 129 times the general population rate, and overdose is the leading cause of death among the recently released. The system's failures compound across Georgia's supervisory apparatus. One in 13 Georgians is under correctional supervision — incarceration, probation, or parole — compared to a national average of one in 33. The state supervises 478,000 people on probation and parole while refusing full Medicaid expansion, leaving a coverage gap affecting 175,000 Georgians. The partial Pathways to Coverage program, launched with work requirements in July 2023, enrolled only 4,900 to 6,500 people against projections of 64,000. Substance use disorders affect 50 to 66 percent of people entering Georgia prisons; Rhode Island's implementation of all three FDA-approved opioid medications reduced post-release overdose deaths by 75 percent, yet Georgia's MOUD availability and continuity protocols remain undisclosed. Critical data gaps obstruct accountability. No dedicated reentry budget line items are publicly visible; transition center capacity relative to annual releases is undisclosed; MOUD availability by facility is unknown; and post-release mortality data by cause and facility is not systematically published. These absences suggest either systematic underinvestment or deliberate opacity — or both. What is clear: Georgia's $1.9 to $2.3 billion annual cost of incarceration plus recidivism generates neither public safety nor successful reentry. The Kemp administration's $214 million budget escalation has coincided with 66 homicides under investigation in Georgia prisons by 2024 — a crisis that demands investigative scrutiny of budget allocation, federal funding utilization, private prison contracts, and whether Georgia is deliberately warehousing rather than preparing people for return. STATISTICS (59) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] Georgia incarceration rate ranking Georgia incarcerates people at the 7th highest rate nationally — 881 per 100,000 residents — a rate higher than any country in the world except El Salvador. Value: 881 per 100,000 residents Date: 2026-02-01 Tags: incarceration rate, Georgia, national ranking, international comparison Sources: Prison Policy Initiative, Georgia Profile - [estimated] Georgia state prison population Approximately 50,000 people are held in Georgia's state prisons. Value: 50000 incarcerated people Date: 2026-02-01 Tags: prison population, Georgia, GDC Sources: Georgia Department of Corrections, Annual Statistical Reports - [estimated] Annual cost of Georgia prison system Georgia's state prison system costs roughly $1.5 billion annually. Value: 1500000000 dollars per year Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: budget, GDC, corrections spending Sources: Governor's Office of Planning and Budget, FY 2025 Governor's Budget Report - [estimated] Annual prison releases in Georgia 14,000–16,000 people are released from Georgia prisons back into communities each year with minimal preparation, support, or resources. Value: 14000-16000 people released per year Date: 2026-02-01 Tags: reentry, prison releases, Georgia Sources: Georgia Department of Corrections, Annual Statistical Reports - [confirmed] Georgia official three-year felony reconviction rate Georgia's official three-year felony reconviction rate is approximately 25–27%, which places the state among the lowest reported recidivism rates nationally. Value: 25-27 percent (three-year felony reconviction rate) (vs. 39-44 national average recidivism rate) Tags: recidivism, official statistics, reconviction rate, Georgia Sources: Georgia Department of Corrections, Annual Statistical Reports; Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles, Annual Reports - [confirmed] National average recidivism rate The national average recidivism rate, depending on methodology, ranges from 39% to 44%. Value: 39-44 percent Tags: recidivism, national average, methodology Sources: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Correctional Populations in the United States - [estimated] Adjusted return-to-incarceration rate in Georgia When technical violations, arrests not resulting in conviction, and extended measurement windows are incorporated, the actual return-to-incarceration rate in Georgia is closer to 50% — roughly double the official figure. Value: 50 percent (adjusted return-to-incarceration rate) (vs. 25-27 official felony reconviction rate) Tags: recidivism, adjusted rate, technical violations, Georgia Sources: Columbia University Justice Lab, Mass Supervision, 2024 - [confirmed] Georgia transition center capacity Georgia operates 12 Transitional Centers statewide with a total capacity of approximately 2,344 beds. Value: 2344 beds across 12 centers Tags: transition centers, reentry, capacity, Georgia Sources: Georgia Department of Corrections, Facilities Division — Transitional Centers - [confirmed] GDC vocational education contract amount FY 2025 Vocational education contracts totaled just $172,000 in FY 2025, against a total GDC budget of $1.48 billion. Value: 172000 dollars (vs. 1480000000 total GDC FY 2025 budget) Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: vocational education, budget, GDC, reentry investment Sources: Georgia Department of Corrections, Budget Documents - [confirmed] Post-release death risk first two weeks The risk of death in the first two weeks post-release is 12.7 times higher than for the general population. Value: 12.7 times higher risk of death Date: 2007-01-01 Tags: post-release mortality, death risk, reentry, healthcare Sources: Binswanger IA, et al., Release from Prison — A High Risk of Death for Former Inmates, NEJM, 2007 - [confirmed] Georgia highest community supervision rate nationally Georgia has the highest community supervision rate in the nation: 1 in 23 residents under community supervision, compared to a national average of 1 in 33. Value: 1 in 23 residents under community supervision (vs. 1 in 33 national average) Tags: community supervision, probation, parole, Georgia, national ranking Sources: Columbia University Justice Lab, Mass Supervision, 2024 - [confirmed] Georgia probation and parole population Georgia supervises approximately 478,000 people on probation and parole at any given time. Value: 478000 people on probation and parole Tags: probation, parole, community supervision, Georgia Sources: Columbia University Justice Lab, Mass Supervision, 2024 - [confirmed] Post-release death risk over first two years Formerly incarcerated people face 3.5 times the risk of death over the first two years post-release (average 1.9-year follow-up) compared to the general population. Value: 3.5 times higher risk of death Date: 2007-01-01 Tags: post-release mortality, death risk, reentry Sources: Binswanger IA, et al., Release from Prison — A High Risk of Death for Former Inmates, NEJM, 2007 - [estimated] Georgians with criminal records Approximately 4.2 million Georgians — out of a total state population of approximately 11 million — have some form of criminal record, meaning more than one in three Georgia residents. Value: 4200000 people with criminal records (vs. 11000000 total Georgia state population) Tags: criminal records, Georgia, stigma, employment barriers Sources: Georgia Justice Project, Georgia Criminal Justice Data - [confirmed] Georgia correctional supervision rate One in 13 Georgians is currently under some form of correctional supervision (incarceration, probation, or parole), compared to a national average of 1 in 33. Value: 1 in 13 Georgians under correctional supervision (vs. 1 in 33 national average) Tags: correctional supervision, Georgia, national comparison, incarceration Sources: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Correctional Populations in the United States - [confirmed] GDC FY 2025 budget total The Georgia Department of Corrections' FY 2025 budget is $1.48 billion. Value: 1480000000 dollars Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: GDC budget, FY 2025, corrections spending Sources: Governor's Office of Planning and Budget, FY 2025 Governor's Budget Report - [confirmed] GDC budget increase over FY 2024 The GDC FY 2025 budget represents a $153 million increase over FY 2024. Value: 153000000 dollar increase over FY 2024 Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: GDC budget, budget increase, year-over-year Sources: Governor's Office of Planning and Budget, FY 2025 Governor's Budget Report - [confirmed] GDC budget increase over FY 2023 The GDC FY 2025 budget represents a $214 million increase over FY 2023, adding more than $200 million in just two fiscal years. Value: 214000000 dollar increase over FY 2023 Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: GDC budget, budget increase, two-year trend Sources: Governor's Office of Planning and Budget, FY 2025 Governor's Budget Report - [confirmed] Per-inmate daily cost in Georgia The per-inmate cost in Georgia has risen to $86.61 per day ($31,612 annually), driven primarily by healthcare costs, staffing challenges, and aging infrastructure. Value: 86.61 dollars per day per inmate Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: per-inmate cost, GDC, incarceration cost Sources: Governor's Office of Planning and Budget, FY 2025 Governor's Budget Report - [confirmed] Annual per-inmate cost in Georgia The annual cost per incarcerated person in Georgia is $31,612. Value: 31612 dollars per year per inmate Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: per-inmate cost, GDC, annual cost, incarceration Sources: Governor's Office of Planning and Budget, FY 2025 Governor's Budget Report - [confirmed] FY 2025 correctional officer pay increase $43 million was allocated in FY 2025 for correctional officer pay increases, reflecting chronic recruitment and retention failures. Value: 43000000 dollars for CO pay increases Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: correctional officers, pay, staffing, GDC budget Sources: Governor's Office of Planning and Budget, FY 2025 Governor's Budget Report - [confirmed] New CO hire turnover rate 82.7% of new correctional officer hires leave within their first year, per the DOJ investigation. Value: 82.7 percent first-year turnover Date: 2024-09-01 Tags: correctional officers, turnover, staffing crisis, DOJ investigation Sources: Investigation of the Georgia Department of Corrections, U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, September 2024 - [confirmed] FY 2025 health and pharmacy contract increase $72 million increase in health and pharmacy contracts in FY 2025, approaching a 40% increase in prison health spending since FY 2020. Value: 72000000 dollar increase in health/pharmacy contracts (vs. 40 percent increase in prison health spending since FY 2020) Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: healthcare spending, GDC budget, pharmacy contracts Sources: Governor's Office of Planning and Budget, FY 2025 Governor's Budget Report - [confirmed] FY 2025 prison safety and infrastructure spending $52 million was allocated in FY 2025 for prison safety and infrastructure. Value: 52000000 dollars for safety and infrastructure Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: GDC budget, infrastructure, prison safety Sources: Governor's Office of Planning and Budget, FY 2025 Governor's Budget Report - [confirmed] FY 2025 private prison and county institution payments $38 million additional was allocated in FY 2025 for private prison contracts and county correctional institution payments. Value: 38000000 dollars for private prison/county payments Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: private prisons, county jails, GDC budget, contracts Sources: Governor's Office of Planning and Budget, FY 2025 Governor's Budget Report - [confirmed] Vocational education spending per incarcerated person At $172,000 for a system holding approximately 50,000 people, vocational education spending works out to roughly $3.44 per incarcerated person per year — less than the cost of a single commissary item in most GDC facilities. Value: 3.44 dollars per incarcerated person per year Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: vocational education, per-capita spending, reentry investment Sources: Georgia Department of Corrections, Budget Documents - [confirmed] Deal-era justice reinvestment prison population reduction Governor Nathan Deal's justice reinvestment initiative (2012–2015) reduced the prison population by 6% through evidence-based sentencing alternatives. Value: 6 percent reduction in prison population Date: 2015-01-01 Tags: justice reinvestment, Deal administration, prison population, sentencing reform Sources: Council of State Governments Justice Center, Georgia's Justice Reinvestment Approach - [confirmed] Deal-era averted incarceration costs The Deal-era justice reinvestment initiative generated $264 million in averted incarceration costs. Value: 264000000 dollars in averted costs Date: 2015-01-01 Tags: justice reinvestment, Deal administration, cost savings Sources: Council of State Governments Justice Center, Georgia's Justice Reinvestment Approach - [confirmed] Deal-era reinvestment in recidivism reduction The Deal-era initiative reinvested $57 million of savings directly into recidivism reduction programs, including accountability courts, substance abuse treatment, and community supervision improvements. Value: 57000000 dollars reinvested Date: 2015-01-01 Tags: justice reinvestment, Deal administration, reinvestment, accountability courts, substance abuse Sources: Council of State Governments Justice Center, Georgia's Justice Reinvestment Approach; Pew Charitable Trusts, Georgia's Justice Reforms - [estimated] Transition center beds serve fewer than 15% of annual releases With 14,000–16,000 people released annually, the 2,344 transition center beds can serve fewer than 15% of annual releases at any given time. Value: 15 percent of annual releases served (less than) Tags: transition centers, capacity, reentry, bottleneck Sources: Georgia Department of Corrections, Facilities Division — Transitional Centers - [confirmed] Women's transition center capacity Only two of Georgia's 12 transition centers serve women, providing a combined 346 beds. Value: 346 beds for women across 2 centers (vs. 2344 total transition center beds) Tags: transition centers, women, gender, reentry, capacity Sources: Georgia Department of Corrections, Facilities Division — Transitional Centers - [confirmed] Walking the Last Mile initial capacity Walking the Last Mile (WTLM), launched in 2023 with U.S. Department of Labor funding, had initial capacity of 25–50 participants with a stated goal of scaling to 500–1,000 within two years. Value: 25-50 initial participants (vs. 500-1000 two-year scaling goal) Date: 2023-01-01 Tags: WTLM, employment, reentry, pilot program, Department of Labor Sources: U.S. Department of Labor, Reentry Employment Opportunities - [confirmed] Vocational program completers recidivism rate Incarcerated people who complete vocational programs have a recidivism rate of approximately 13% — roughly half the state's already-underreported general rate. Value: 13 percent recidivism rate for vocational completers (vs. 25-27 general official recidivism rate) Date: 2024-09-01 Tags: vocational programs, recidivism, education, rehabilitation Sources: Investigation of the Georgia Department of Corrections, U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, September 2024 - [estimated] Total Georgians who would gain coverage under full Medicaid expansion An estimated 359,000 total Georgians would gain coverage under full Medicaid expansion. Value: 359000 people who would gain coverage Tags: Medicaid expansion, healthcare, coverage, Georgia Sources: Kaiser Family Foundation, Status of State Medicaid Expansion Decisions - [confirmed] Pathways to Coverage enrollment vs projection Georgia's Pathways to Coverage partial Medicaid expansion with work requirements enrolled only 4,900–6,500 people as of late 2024 through early 2025, against an original projection of 64,000 enrollees. Value: 4900-6500 people enrolled (vs. 64000 original enrollment projection) Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: Pathways to Coverage, Medicaid, enrollment, work requirements, Georgia Sources: Georgetown University Health Policy Institute, Georgia Pathways Enrollment Data - [confirmed] Post-release uninsured rate for men at 2-3 months 78% of men are uninsured 2–3 months after release from incarceration. Value: 78 percent of men uninsured at 2-3 months post-release Date: 2008-01-01 Tags: post-release, uninsured, healthcare, men, reentry Sources: Mallik-Kane K, Visher CA, Health and Prisoner Reentry, Urban Institute, 2008 - [confirmed] Post-release uninsured rate for women at 2-3 months 66% of women are uninsured 2–3 months after release from incarceration. Value: 66 percent of women uninsured at 2-3 months post-release Date: 2008-01-01 Tags: post-release, uninsured, healthcare, women, reentry Sources: Mallik-Kane K, Visher CA, Health and Prisoner Reentry, Urban Institute, 2008 - [confirmed] Post-release uninsured rate for men at 8-10 months 68% of men remain uninsured 8–10 months after release from incarceration. Value: 68 percent of men uninsured at 8-10 months post-release Date: 2008-01-01 Tags: post-release, uninsured, healthcare, men, reentry Sources: Mallik-Kane K, Visher CA, Health and Prisoner Reentry, Urban Institute, 2008 - [confirmed] Post-release uninsured rate for women at 8-10 months 58% of women remain uninsured 8–10 months after release from incarceration. Value: 58 percent of women uninsured at 8-10 months post-release Date: 2008-01-01 Tags: post-release, uninsured, healthcare, women, reentry Sources: Mallik-Kane K, Visher CA, Health and Prisoner Reentry, Urban Institute, 2008 - [estimated] Substance use disorder prevalence among Georgia prisoners Between 50% and 66% of people entering Georgia's prison system have a substance use disorder. Value: 50-66 percent with substance use disorder Tags: substance use disorder, addiction, Georgia prisons, prevalence Sources: Graves BD, Fendrich M, Community-Based Substance Use Treatments, Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports, 2024 - [confirmed] Substance use disorder prevalence in US jails Two-thirds of people incarcerated in U.S. jails meet criteria for a substance use disorder, with many specifically involving opioids. Value: 66.7 percent meeting SUD criteria in jails Tags: substance use disorder, jails, national, opioids Sources: Graves BD, Fendrich M, Community-Based Substance Use Treatments, Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports, 2024 - [confirmed] MOUD availability in US jails Nationally, fewer than 44% of jails offer any form of medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD), and only 12.8% make these medications available to anyone with an opioid use disorder. Value: 44 percent of jails offering any MOUD (less than) (vs. 12.8 percent making MOUD broadly available) Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: MOUD, jails, opioid use disorder, medication availability, national Sources: Balawajder EF, et al., Medications for Opioid Use Disorder in US Jails, JAMA Network Open, 2024 - [reported] Post-release overdose risk first two weeks — 129 times higher Overdose risk in the first two weeks post-release is 129 times higher compared to the general population. Value: 129 times higher overdose risk Tags: overdose, post-release mortality, two weeks, reentry Sources: Sen. Ossoff, Pushing to Expand Substance Abuse Treatment - [confirmed] Post-release opioid overdose risk first two weeks — 40 times higher Opioid-specific overdose risk in the first two weeks post-release is 40 times higher than for the general population. Value: 40 times higher opioid overdose risk Tags: opioid overdose, post-release, two weeks, reentry Sources: National Association of Counties, Effective Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder for Incarcerated Populations - [confirmed] Rhode Island MOUD reduced post-release overdose deaths by 75% When Rhode Island implemented all three FDA-approved forms of MOUD during and after incarceration statewide, post-release overdose deaths dropped by 75%. Value: 75 percent reduction in post-release overdose deaths Date: 2018-01-01 Tags: MOUD, Rhode Island, overdose, best practice, reentry Sources: Green TC, et al., Postincarceration Fatal Overdoses, JAMA Psychiatry, 2018 - [confirmed] One in six Georgia jobs requires occupational license One in six Georgia jobs requires an occupational license. Value: 1 in 6 jobs requiring occupational license Tags: occupational licensing, employment barriers, Georgia - [confirmed] 42 licensure boards with independent criminal record standards Until recent reforms, 42 licensure boards in Georgia operated with independent — and often opaque — criminal record standards, many using vague 'good moral character' requirements as blanket exclusions. Value: 42 licensure boards Tags: occupational licensing, licensure boards, good moral character, employment barriers Sources: Collateral Consequences Resource Center - [estimated] Criminal record unemployment rate five times state average The unemployment rate for people with criminal records in Georgia is estimated at approximately five times the state average. Value: 5 times the state average unemployment rate Tags: unemployment, criminal records, employment barriers, Georgia - [confirmed] GED/vocational certification reduces recidivism by 17% A 2015 analysis found that obtaining a GED or vocational certificate during incarceration reduces recidivism by 17%. Value: 17 percent reduction in recidivism Date: 2015-01-01 Tags: GED, vocational education, recidivism reduction, RAND Sources: RAND Corporation, Evaluating the Effectiveness of Correctional Education, 2013 - [confirmed] Georgia prison homicides 2018-2023 Homicides in Georgia prisons numbered 142 between 2018 and 2023. Value: 142 homicides (2018-2023) Date: 2023-12-31 Tags: homicides, prison violence, Georgia, DOJ investigation Sources: Investigation of the Georgia Department of Corrections, U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, September 2024 - [confirmed] Georgia prison homicides in 2023 35 homicides occurred in Georgia prisons in 2023. Value: 35 homicides in 2023 Date: 2023-12-31 Tags: homicides, prison violence, Georgia, DOJ investigation, 2023 Sources: Investigation of the Georgia Department of Corrections, U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, September 2024 - [confirmed] Georgia prison homicides under investigation in 2024 By 2024, 66 homicides were under investigation in Georgia prisons — a dramatic escalation that far exceeded 2023's total of 38. Value: 66 homicides under investigation (vs. 38 2023 total homicides) Date: 2024-12-31 Tags: homicides, prison violence, Georgia, escalation, 2024 Sources: Investigation of the Georgia Department of Corrections, U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, September 2024 - [estimated] Estimated annual cost of recidivism in Georgia The estimated annual cost of recidivism in Georgia is $395 million–$790 million, based on 12,500–25,000 people returning to prison annually at $31,612 each (using the 25%–50% recidivism range). Value: 395000000-790000000 dollars per year Tags: recidivism cost, fiscal impact, Georgia, warehousing Sources: Governor's Office of Planning and Budget, FY 2025 Governor's Budget Report - [estimated] Total annual cost of incarceration plus recidivism Total annual cost of incarceration plus recidivism in Georgia is approximately $1.9–$2.3 billion. Value: 1900000000-2300000000 dollars per year Tags: total cost, incarceration, recidivism, fiscal impact, Georgia Sources: Governor's Office of Planning and Budget, FY 2025 Governor's Budget Report - [confirmed] Mental health and substance abuse treatment reduces recidivism by 6% Mental health and substance abuse treatment programming alone reduces recidivism by 6%. Value: 6 percent reduction in recidivism Tags: mental health, substance abuse, treatment, recidivism reduction Sources: RAND Corporation, Evaluating the Effectiveness of Correctional Education, 2013 - [confirmed] Black share of Georgia prison population vs general population 58% of Georgia's prison population is Black, compared to approximately 33% of the state's general population — a disparity ratio of roughly 1.76. Value: 58 percent of prison population is Black (vs. 33 percent of Georgia general population is Black) Tags: racial disparity, Black, incarceration, Georgia, demographics Sources: Prison Policy Initiative, Georgia Profile; Bureau of Justice Statistics, Prisoners in 2023 - [reported] Communications kickback revenue from families Families of incarcerated people in Georgia pay $8+ million annually in communications kickbacks to maintain family bonds. Value: 8000000 dollars annually in communications fees (more than) Tags: communications, kickbacks, families, extraction economy, Georgia Sources: Prison Policy Initiative, Georgia Profile - [estimated] Prison health spending approaching 40% increase since FY 2020 Prison health spending in Georgia is approaching a 40% increase since FY 2020. Value: 40 percent increase since FY 2020 (approaching) Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: healthcare spending, GDC, budget trend, prison health Sources: Governor's Office of Planning and Budget, FY 2025 Governor's Budget Report - [estimated] People returning annually estimated at 12,500-25,000 Based on the 25%-50% recidivism range applied to approximately 50,000 incarcerated people, an estimated 12,500–25,000 people return to prison annually in Georgia. Value: 12500-25000 people returning to prison annually Tags: recidivism, returns to prison, annual estimate FINDINGS (21) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] DOJ investigation scope and finding severity The October 2024 DOJ investigation of 17 Georgia prisons found 'among the most severe violations' of civil rights the department had documented in its history of prison investigations. Date: 2024-09-01 Tags: DOJ investigation, civil rights violations, Georgia prisons Sources: Investigation of the Georgia Department of Corrections, U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, September 2024 - [reported] State officials attribute low recidivism to Deal-era reforms State officials attribute the low reported recidivism rate to Second Chance programs implemented under Governor Nathan Deal's justice reinvestment initiative (2012–2015), reductions in employment barriers, and expanded use of alternative sentencing. Tags: recidivism, Deal administration, justice reinvestment, Second Chance Sources: Georgia Department of Corrections, Annual Statistical Reports - [confirmed] Deal-era reforms did not increase crime The Deal-era justice reinvestment initiative achieved prison population reduction and cost savings without increasing crime rates. Date: 2015-01-01 Tags: justice reinvestment, Deal administration, public safety, crime rates Sources: Council of State Governments Justice Center, Georgia's Justice Reinvestment Approach - [reported] Faith Project ATL housing provision Faith Project ATL provides up to 12 months of free housing for work-ready individuals, but operates at community scale serving dozens or hundreds against a need measured in thousands. Tags: Faith Project ATL, housing, reentry, nonprofit, faith-based Sources: Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles, Reentry Services - [confirmed] DOJ found vocational programming slashed The DOJ investigation found that educational and vocational programming had been slashed rather than expanded, and conditions in most facilities were so chaotic and violent that meaningful programming participation was effectively impossible. Date: 2024-09-01 Tags: DOJ investigation, vocational programs, educational programming, violence Sources: Investigation of the Georgia Department of Corrections, U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, September 2024 - [confirmed] Prison opioid treatment creates aversion to MOUD Research from the University of Georgia's School of Social Work (Graves & Fendrich, 2024) found that adverse treatment experiences with opioids inside prison actually create an aversion to MOUD at reentry, making people less likely to accept effective treatment when they leave. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: MOUD, opioid treatment, aversion, prison, reentry, University of Georgia Sources: Graves BD, Fendrich M, Community-Based Substance Use Treatments, Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports, 2024 - [confirmed] Overdose is leading cause of post-release death Overdose is the leading cause of death among people recently released from incarceration. Tags: overdose, post-release mortality, cause of death Sources: Binswanger IA, et al., Release from Prison — A High Risk of Death for Former Inmates, NEJM, 2007 - [confirmed] Deaths categorized as unknown cause despite being homicides Many deaths in Georgia prisons were categorized as 'unknown cause' despite being clear homicides, reflecting a systemic failure in even basic death reporting. Date: 2024-09-01 Tags: death reporting, homicides, data integrity, DOJ investigation Sources: Investigation of the Georgia Department of Corrections, U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, September 2024 - [confirmed] DOJ found deliberate indifference The DOJ found 'deliberate indifference' to violence, sexual abuse, drug trafficking, and extortion in Georgia prisons. Date: 2024-09-01 Tags: deliberate indifference, DOJ investigation, violence, sexual abuse, drug trafficking, extortion Sources: Investigation of the Georgia Department of Corrections, U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, September 2024 - [confirmed] Gangs control housing units in multiple facilities Gangs effectively controlled housing units in multiple Georgia prison facilities, with officers unable or unwilling to intervene. Date: 2024-09-01 Tags: gangs, housing units, DOJ investigation, staffing crisis, Georgia prisons Sources: Investigation of the Georgia Department of Corrections, U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, September 2024 - [confirmed] DOJ noted lack of educational and mental health resources The DOJ specifically noted the lack of educational programming, lack of mental health resources, and overuse of solitary confinement in Georgia prisons. Date: 2024-09-01 Tags: DOJ investigation, educational programming, mental health, solitary confinement Sources: Investigation of the Georgia Department of Corrections, U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, September 2024 - [confirmed] Walker State Prison had no homicides Walker State Prison — a smaller facility with better staffing ratios and more consistent programming — had no homicides in recent years, demonstrating that functional, safer conditions are achievable within the Georgia system. Date: 2024-09-01 Tags: Walker State Prison, homicides, staffing, programming, best practice, DOJ investigation Sources: Investigation of the Georgia Department of Corrections, U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, September 2024 - [confirmed] DOJ investigation focused on 8 South Georgia facilities The DOJ investigation covered 17 Georgia prisons with particular focus on 8 facilities in South Georgia. Date: 2024-09-01 Tags: DOJ investigation, South Georgia, facility focus Sources: Investigation of the Georgia Department of Corrections, U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, September 2024 - [confirmed] DOJ report length The DOJ released a 93-page findings report on Georgia's prison system. Date: 2024-09-01 Tags: DOJ investigation, report, Georgia prisons Sources: Investigation of the Georgia Department of Corrections, U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, September 2024 - [reported] Kemp administration reversed Deal-era approach The Kemp administration reversed the Deal-era justice reinvestment trajectory, returning to a warehousing-first model with escalating costs and no measurable public safety benefit, adding $214 million in GDC spending over two years. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: Kemp administration, policy reversal, warehousing, Deal era, spending Sources: Governor's Office of Planning and Budget, FY 2025 Governor's Budget Report - [confirmed] Leading causes of post-release death The leading causes of post-release death are drug overdose, cardiovascular disease, homicide, and suicide — all conditions for which evidence-based interventions exist. Tags: post-release mortality, causes of death, overdose, cardiovascular, homicide, suicide Sources: Binswanger IA, et al., Release from Prison — A High Risk of Death for Former Inmates, NEJM, 2007 - [reported] Pathways spending on administrative costs Reports indicate that most of the Pathways to Coverage program's spending has gone to administrative costs rather than actual healthcare benefits. Tags: Pathways to Coverage, administrative costs, waste, Medicaid Sources: Georgetown University Health Policy Institute, Georgia Pathways Enrollment Data - [reported] Georgia prison system descended from convict leasing Georgia's current prison system descends directly from its convict leasing system, and the economic logic of extracting labor value from Black bodies while externalizing costs onto Black families has been consistent across the intervening century. Tags: convict leasing, racial history, extraction economy, Black communities Sources: Prison Policy Initiative, Georgia Profile - [confirmed] 2024 Senate Study Committee on GDC produced reform recommendations The 2024 Senate Study Committee on the Department of Corrections produced a final report with reform recommendations; tracking implementation provides an accountability framework. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: Senate Study Committee, GDC, reform, accountability, Georgia legislature Sources: Senate Study Committee Final Report on GDC, 2024 - [confirmed] WTLM geographic concentration The Walking the Last Mile program is geographically concentrated in metro Atlanta (DeKalb, Fulton, and Gwinnett counties). Date: 2023-01-01 Tags: WTLM, geographic limitation, metro Atlanta, DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett Sources: U.S. Department of Labor, Reentry Employment Opportunities - [reported] County jails release more people annually than state prisons Georgia's county jails release substantially more people annually than the state prison system, often with even less reentry preparation. Tags: county jails, reentry, releases, reporting angle QUOTES (1) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] DOJ conclusion: people leave prison worse The DOJ investigation concluded that people 'leave prison worse than when they came in.' Date: 2024-09-01 Tags: DOJ investigation, rehabilitation failure, Georgia prisons, recidivism Sources: Investigation of the Georgia Department of Corrections, U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, September 2024 POLICYS (13) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] Georgia Medicaid expansion refusal Georgia is one of the remaining states that has refused full Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act, creating a coverage gap affecting approximately 175,000 Georgians. Tags: Medicaid, healthcare, coverage gap, ACA, Georgia Sources: Kaiser Family Foundation, Status of State Medicaid Expansion Decisions - [confirmed] Medical conditions can disqualify from transition center placement Medical conditions can disqualify a person from transition center placement, forcing a choice between healthcare access within prison and transfer to a transition center that may not manage their conditions. Tags: transition centers, eligibility, medical conditions, healthcare Sources: Georgia Department of Corrections, Facilities Division — Transitional Centers - [confirmed] Reentry Partnership Housing duration Reentry Partnership Housing (RPH), operated through the Board of Pardons and Paroles, provides up to 3–6 months of transitional housing for people on active state parole or probation supervision. Tags: RPH, housing, reentry, Board of Pardons and Paroles Sources: Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles, Reentry Services - [confirmed] THOR is a referral tool not a housing program Transitional Housing Opportunities for Reentry (THOR) is an online directory maintained by the Georgia Department of Community Supervision that lists available beds but does not fund, create, or guarantee housing. Tags: THOR, housing, reentry, referral, Department of Community Supervision Sources: Georgia Department of Community Supervision - [confirmed] Pathways to Coverage effective date Georgia's Pathways to Coverage partial Medicaid expansion with work requirements took effect in July 2023. Date: 2023-07-01 Tags: Pathways to Coverage, Medicaid, work requirements, Georgia Sources: Georgetown University Health Policy Institute, Georgia Pathways Enrollment Data - [confirmed] Georgia 1115 reentry waiver approval Georgia was approved for a Section 1115 demonstration waiver for reentry Medicaid coverage, making it one of only four non-expansion states with such a waiver as of September 2024. Date: 2024-09-01 Tags: 1115 waiver, Medicaid, reentry, Georgia, CMS Sources: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Opportunities to Test Transition-Related Strategies - [confirmed] Georgia received federal planning grant for Medicaid suspension Georgia received a federal planning grant (one of 29 states) to develop operational capability for the Medicaid suspension-not-termination requirement. Tags: Medicaid, planning grant, reentry, federal funding Sources: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Opportunities to Test Transition-Related Strategies - [confirmed] Federal COSSUP program funding available The Bureau of Justice Assistance operates the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP), providing funding to establish, expand, or improve treatment and recovery support services during incarceration and upon reentry. Tags: COSSUP, federal funding, BJA, substance abuse, treatment, reentry Sources: Bureau of Justice Assistance, COSSUP Program - [confirmed] 2022 licensing reform: good moral character removal In 2022, some 'good moral character' requirements were removed from Georgia licensing applications. Date: 2022-01-01 Tags: licensing reform, good moral character, employment, Georgia Sources: Collateral Consequences Resource Center - [confirmed] 2024 licensing reform: direct relation standard In 2024, Georgia licensure boards may now only deny a license if the conviction 'directly and specifically relates' to the licensed occupation. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: licensing reform, occupational licensing, employment barriers, Georgia Sources: Collateral Consequences Resource Center - [confirmed] 2024 licensing reform: lookback period reduced In 2024, the criminal record lookback period for licensing purposes in Georgia was reduced from 7 years to 3 years. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: licensing reform, lookback period, criminal records, employment, Georgia Sources: Collateral Consequences Resource Center - [reported] Policy demand: triple transition center capacity GPS advocates expanding transition center capacity from 2,344 beds to at least 7,000, serving approximately 50% of annual releases. Tags: policy demand, transition centers, capacity expansion, 2026 advocacy - [reported] Policy demand: increase vocational funding to $15 million GPS advocates increasing vocational education funding from $172,000 to at least $15 million — 1% of the GDC budget — with a goal of 5% within three years. Tags: policy demand, vocational education, funding, 2026 advocacy METHODOLOGY NOTES (4) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] Georgia uses three-year measurement window for recidivism Georgia uses a three-year post-release window for recidivism measurement, which misses people who return to prison in years four, five, and beyond. Tags: recidivism, methodology, measurement window Sources: Georgia Department of Corrections, Annual Statistical Reports - [confirmed] Georgia recidivism metric excludes technical violations Georgia's recidivism metric captures only new felony convictions, excluding technical violations of probation or parole conditions, which are a primary driver of returns to incarceration. Tags: recidivism, methodology, technical violations, probation, parole Sources: Georgia Department of Corrections, Annual Statistical Reports - [confirmed] Deaths excluded from recidivism measurement People who die during the recidivism measurement period are removed from the dataset rather than being analyzed as a reentry outcome, despite elevated mortality risk post-release. Tags: recidivism, methodology, post-release mortality, data gap Sources: Binswanger IA, et al., Release from Prison — A High Risk of Death for Former Inmates, NEJM, 2007 - [confirmed] Brief framed for 2026 gubernatorial election advocacy This research brief is framed as actionable advocacy content for the 2026 gubernatorial election cycle in Georgia. Date: 2026-02-01 Tags: advocacy, 2026 election, gubernatorial, Georgia, political strategy DATA GAPS (11) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] No dedicated reentry line items in GDC budget No dedicated line items for comprehensive reentry programming, transition planning, or post-release support services are visible in publicly available GDC budget documents. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: reentry, budget, GDC, programming, data gap Sources: Georgia Department of Corrections, Budget Documents - [confirmed] RPH capacity is not publicly disclosed The Reentry Partnership Housing program's capacity relative to the 14,000–16,000 annual releases is not publicly disclosed in available documents. Tags: RPH, housing, data gap, reentry, capacity Sources: Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles, Reentry Services - [confirmed] Georgia's utilization of federal substance abuse funding is a data gap The full extent of Georgia's utilization or under-utilization of federal substance abuse and reentry funding streams (COSSUP, SAMHSA) is a critical data gap that warrants Open Records investigation. Tags: data gap, federal funding, COSSUP, SAMHSA, Georgia, open records Sources: Bureau of Justice Assistance, COSSUP Program - [confirmed] Open records request needed: GDC programming budgets by facility An open records request is needed for detailed GDC spending on educational, vocational, and substance abuse programming by facility, FY 2020–2025. Tags: open records, data gap, GDC, programming budget, vocational, substance abuse - [confirmed] Open records request needed: transition center utilization data An open records request is needed for transition center occupancy rates, average length of stay, waitlist lengths, denial reasons, and demographic breakdowns. Tags: open records, data gap, transition centers, utilization, demographics - [confirmed] Open records request needed: MOUD availability by facility An open records request is needed for which GDC facilities offer which MOUD medications, enrollment figures, and continuity-at-release protocols. Tags: open records, data gap, MOUD, facilities, opioid treatment - [confirmed] Open records request needed: post-release mortality data An open records request is needed for deaths within 30, 90, and 365 days of release from GDC custody, with cause of death and facility of last incarceration. Tags: open records, data gap, post-release mortality, cause of death - [confirmed] Open records request needed: federal reentry funding utilization An open records request is needed for Georgia's applications for and receipt of BJA COSSUP, SAMHSA reentry, and other federal substance abuse/reentry grants. Tags: open records, data gap, federal funding, COSSUP, SAMHSA - [confirmed] Open records request needed: vocational program outcomes An open records request is needed for number of vocational program slots, completion rates, and post-release employment outcomes by program type and facility. Tags: open records, data gap, vocational programs, completion rates, employment outcomes - [confirmed] Open records request needed: Pathways enrollment for formerly incarcerated An open records request is needed for detailed Pathways to Coverage enrollment data for formerly incarcerated individuals specifically, including application-to-enrollment timelines. Tags: open records, data gap, Pathways to Coverage, Medicaid, formerly incarcerated - [confirmed] Private prison reentry requirements unknown Whether GDC's contracts with private prison operators include any requirements for programming, reentry preparation, or outcome measurement is unknown and identified as a reporting angle. Tags: private prisons, contracts, reentry, programming, reporting angle LEGAL FACTS (2) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] Section 5121 juvenile Medicaid requirement Section 5121 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2023 requires Medicaid coverage for eligible juveniles in the pre- and post-release periods, effective January 1, 2025. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: Medicaid, juveniles, Section 5121, reentry, federal law Sources: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Opportunities to Test Transition-Related Strategies - [confirmed] Section 205 Medicaid suspension requirement Section 205 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2024 requires states to suspend (rather than terminate) Medicaid eligibility during incarceration, effective January 1, 2026. Date: 2026-01-01 Tags: Medicaid, suspension, Section 205, reentry, federal law, incarceration Sources: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC), Medicaid and Incarceration DATASETS (9) ---------------------------------------- # GDC FY 2025 Major Budget Increases Major budget increase categories in the Georgia Department of Corrections FY 2025 budget Category Amount ($ millions) ------------------------------------------------------------------- Correctional officer pay increases 43 Health and pharmacy contracts 72 Prison safety and infrastructure 52 Private prison contracts and county payments 38 Total major increases 205 # GDC Budget Trajectory FY 2023-2025 Georgia Department of Corrections budget over three fiscal years showing escalating spending Fiscal Year Budget ($ billions) Increase over prior year ($ millions) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- FY 2023 1.266 — FY 2024 1.327 61 FY 2025 1.480 153 # Post-Release Insurance Status Over Time Uninsured rates for men and women at different time points after release from incarceration Time Post-Release Men Uninsured (%) Women Uninsured (%) ----------------------------------------------------------- 2-3 months 78 66 8-10 months 68 58 # Post-Release Mortality Risk Multipliers Elevated risk of death and overdose for formerly incarcerated people compared to general population Risk Type Time Period Risk Multiplier Source ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- All-cause death First 2 weeks 12.7 Binswanger et al., NEJM 2007 All-cause death First ~2 years 3.5 Binswanger et al., NEJM 2007 All-cause overdose First 2 weeks 129 Sen. Ossoff / aggregated research Opioid-specific overdose First 2 weeks 40 NACo/NIDA # Recidivism Rates by Intervention Type Recidivism rates and reductions associated with different evidence-based interventions Intervention Recidivism Rate or Reduction Source -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No intervention (official GA rate) 25-27% GDC Adjusted rate (all factors) ~50% GPS estimate Vocational program completers 13% DOJ investigation / GDC data GED/vocational certification 17% reduction RAND 2013/2015 Mental health/substance abuse treatment 6% reduction RAND MOUD (overdose death reduction) 75% reduction Green et al., RI implementation # Georgia Transition Center Capacity vs Annual Releases Comparison of available transition infrastructure to the scale of annual prison releases Metric Value ----------------------------------------------------- Total transition centers 12 Total beds 2,344 Women's centers 2 Women's beds 346 Annual releases 14,000-16,000 Percent served by transition centers <15% Proposed expansion target 7,000 beds # Deal-Era Justice Reinvestment Outcomes Key outcomes from the 2012-2015 justice reinvestment initiative under Governor Nathan Deal Metric Value -------------------------------------------------- Prison population reduction 6% Averted incarceration costs $264 million Reinvested in recidivism reduction $57 million Crime rate increase None # Georgia Prison Homicides 2023-2024 Homicide data in Georgia prisons showing escalation Year/Period Homicides --------------------------------------- 2018-2023 total 142 2023 35-38 2024 (under investigation) 66 # Pathways to Coverage Enrollment vs Projection Georgia's partial Medicaid expansion enrollment compared to original projections Metric Value ------------------------------------------------------- Original enrollment projection 64,000 Actual enrollment (late 2024-early 2025) 4,900-6,500 Enrollment as % of projection ~8-10% KEY ENTITIES (46) ---------------------------------------- - 2024 Senate Study Committee on the Department of Corrections [legislation]: Georgia Senate study committee that produced a 2024 final report with reform recommendations for the Department of Corrections (aka: Senate Study Committee on GDC) - Affordable Care Act [legislation]: Federal healthcare law providing for Medicaid expansion that Georgia has refused to fully implement (aka: ACA) - Brian Graves [person]: University of Georgia School of Social Work researcher; co-author of 2024 study finding adverse prison opioid treatment experiences create aversion to MOUD at reentry (aka: Graves BD) - Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) [organization]: Federal agency within DOJ that operates the COSSUP substance use program and other justice-related funding streams (aka: BJA) - Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) [organization]: Federal agency overseeing Medicaid including Section 1115 reentry demonstration waivers (aka: CMS) - Christy Visher [person]: Urban Institute researcher; co-author of 2008 study on health and prisoner reentry (aka: Visher CA) - Collateral Consequences Resource Center [organization]: Organization tracking collateral consequences of criminal convictions and reform efforts across states - Columbia University Justice Lab [organization]: Research institution at Columbia University that produced 'Mass Supervision' report on probation, parole, and community supervision - Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP) [program]: Bureau of Justice Assistance federal funding program for state and local governments to establish or improve treatment and recovery support during incarceration and upon reentry (aka: COSSUP) - Council of State Governments Justice Center [organization]: National organization that documented Georgia's justice reinvestment approach and outcomes (aka: CSG Justice Center) - Faith Project ATL [organization]: Faith-based nonprofit providing up to 12 months of free housing for work-ready formerly incarcerated individuals in Atlanta area - Georgetown University Health Policy Institute [organization]: University research center tracking Georgia Pathways to Coverage enrollment data (aka: Georgetown CCF) - Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles [organization]: Georgia state agency responsible for parole decisions and reentry services including Reentry Partnership Housing - Georgia Department of Community Supervision [organization]: Georgia state agency that maintains the THOR transitional housing directory and oversees community supervision - Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) [organization]: Georgia's state agency responsible for operating state prisons, with a FY 2025 budget of $1.48 billion overseeing approximately 50,000 incarcerated people (aka: GDC) - Georgia Justice Project [organization]: Georgia-based nonprofit that tracks criminal justice data and advocates for occupational licensing reform and reentry support (aka: GJP) - Georgia Justice Reinvestment Initiative [program]: 2012-2015 initiative under Governor Deal that reduced prison population by 6%, saved $264 million, reinvested $57 million in recidivism reduction through evidence-based sentencing alternatives, accountability courts, and substance abuse treatment (aka: Deal-era justice reinvestment, Second Chance programs) - Georgia Prisoners' Speak (GPS) [organization]: Journalism organization documenting conditions in Georgia's prison system; author of this investigative research brief (aka: GPS) - Governor Brian Kemp [person]: Current Georgia Governor whose administration reversed the Deal-era justice reinvestment approach, returning to a warehousing-first model with escalating costs (aka: Kemp) - Governor Nathan Deal [person]: Former Georgia Governor (2011-2019) who led the justice reinvestment initiative (2012-2015) that reduced the prison population by 6%, saved $264 million, and reinvested $57 million in recidivism reduction (aka: Deal) - Governor's Office of Planning and Budget [organization]: Georgia state office that publishes the Governor's Budget Report including GDC budget details (aka: OPB) - Ingrid Binswanger [person]: Lead author of landmark 2007 NEJM study on post-release mortality finding 12.7x death risk in first two weeks (aka: Binswanger IA) - Investigation of the Georgia Department of Corrections [case]: September 2024 DOJ Civil Rights Division investigation of 17 Georgia prisons finding 'among the most severe violations' of civil rights; 93-page findings report (aka: DOJ Georgia prison investigation, 2024 DOJ investigation) - Kaiser Family Foundation [organization]: Health policy research organization tracking Medicaid expansion decisions by state (aka: KFF) - Kamala Mallik-Kane [person]: Urban Institute researcher; co-author of 2008 study on health and prisoner reentry documenting post-release insurance gaps (aka: Mallik-Kane K) - Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) [organization]: Federal advisory commission providing analysis on Medicaid policy including incarceration-related coverage issues (aka: MACPAC) - Michael Fendrich [person]: University of Georgia researcher; co-author with Graves of 2024 scoping review on community-based substance use treatments for justice-involved adults (aka: Fendrich M) - National Association of Counties [organization]: Organization that produced strategy brief on effective opioid use disorder treatment for incarcerated populations (aka: NACo) - National Inventory of Collateral Consequences of Conviction (NICCC) [program]: Database tracking collateral consequences of criminal convictions including occupational licensing restrictions (aka: NICCC) - Pathways to Coverage [program]: Georgia's partial Medicaid expansion with work requirements, effective July 2023; enrolled only 4,900-6,500 against projection of 64,000; widely considered a failure - Pew Charitable Trusts [organization]: Research organization that documented Georgia's justice reinvestment reforms under Governor Deal (aka: Pew) - Prison Policy Initiative [organization]: Research and advocacy organization that maintains state prison profiles including Georgia's incarceration rate data - RAND Corporation [organization]: Research organization that published 'Evaluating the Effectiveness of Correctional Education' (2013/2015) finding vocational/GED certification reduces recidivism by 17% (aka: RAND) - Reentry Partnership Housing (RPH) [program]: Transitional housing program operated through the Board of Pardons and Paroles providing 3-6 months of housing for people on active parole/probation (aka: RPH) - Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) [program]: GDC-operated substance abuse treatment programs in Georgia prisons; capacity severely limited relative to need (aka: RSAT) - Section 1115 Reentry Waiver [legislation]: CMS demonstration waiver for reentry Medicaid coverage; Georgia approved as one of only four non-expansion states as of September 2024 (aka: 1115 Reentry Waiver, 1115 demonstration waiver) - Section 205, Consolidated Appropriations Act 2024 [legislation]: Federal law requiring states to suspend (rather than terminate) Medicaid eligibility during incarceration, effective January 1, 2026 - Section 5121, Consolidated Appropriations Act 2023 [legislation]: Federal law requiring Medicaid coverage for eligible juveniles in pre- and post-release periods, effective January 1, 2025 - Senator Jon Ossoff [person]: U.S. Senator from Georgia who has pushed to expand substance abuse treatment; his office cites 129x post-release overdose risk statistic (aka: Sen. Ossoff) - Traci Green [person]: Lead author of 2018 JAMA Psychiatry study on Rhode Island's statewide MOUD implementation showing 75% reduction in post-release overdose deaths (aka: Green TC) - Transitional Housing Opportunities for Reentry (THOR) [program]: Online directory maintained by Georgia Department of Community Supervision connecting returning citizens with transitional housing providers; referral tool only, not a housing program (aka: THOR) - U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division [organization]: Federal agency that conducted the October 2024 investigation of 17 Georgia prisons, finding 'among the most severe violations' of civil rights (aka: DOJ) - University of Georgia School of Social Work [organization]: Academic institution whose researchers (Graves & Fendrich) found prison opioid treatment experiences create aversion to MOUD at reentry (aka: UGA School of Social Work) - Urban Institute [organization]: Research organization that published 'Health and Prisoner Reentry' (2008) documenting post-release health outcomes and insurance status - Walker State Prison [facility]: Smaller Georgia prison facility with better staffing ratios and more consistent programming; had no homicides in recent years; identified by DOJ as an exception to catastrophic conditions - Walking the Last Mile (WTLM) [program]: Employment pilot program launched in 2023 with U.S. Department of Labor funding; initial capacity 25-50 participants in metro Atlanta; goal of scaling to 500-1,000 (aka: WTLM) SOURCES (31) ---------------------------------------- - Balawajder EF, et al., Medications for Opioid Use Disorder in US Jails, JAMA Network Open, 2024, JAMA Network Open by Balawajder EF, et al. (2024-01-01) [academic, primary] URL: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.34704 - Binswanger IA, et al., Release from Prison — A High Risk of Death for Former Inmates, NEJM, 2007, New England Journal of Medicine by Binswanger IA, et al. (2007-01-11) [academic, primary] URL: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmsa064115 - Bureau of Justice Assistance, COSSUP Program, Bureau of Justice Assistance [official_report, primary] URL: https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/o-bja-2024-172030 - Bureau of Justice Statistics, Correctional Populations in the United States, Bureau of Justice Statistics [official_report, primary] URL: https://bjs.ojp.gov/topics/corrections - Bureau of Justice Statistics, Prisoners in 2023, Bureau of Justice Statistics (2023-01-01) [official_report, primary] URL: https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/prisoners-2023 - Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Opportunities to Test Transition-Related Strategies, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services [official_report, primary] URL: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/opportunities-test-transition-related-strategies - Collateral Consequences Resource Center, Collateral Consequences Resource Center [data_portal, secondary] URL: https://ccresourcecenter.org/ - Columbia University Justice Lab, Mass Supervision, 2024, Columbia University Justice Lab (2024-01-01) [academic, primary] URL: https://justicelab.columbia.edu/mass-supervision - Council of State Governments Justice Center, Georgia's Justice Reinvestment Approach, Council of State Governments Justice Center [official_report, primary] URL: https://csgjusticecenter.org/projects/justice-reinvestment/past-states/georgia/ - Georgetown University Health Policy Institute, Georgia Pathways Enrollment Data, Georgetown University Center for Children and Families [academic, secondary] URL: https://ccf.georgetown.edu/ - Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles, Annual Reports, Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles [official_report, primary] URL: https://pap.georgia.gov/annual-reports - Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles, Reentry Services, Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles [official_report, primary] URL: https://pap.georgia.gov/reentry-services - Georgia Department of Community Supervision, Georgia Department of Community Supervision [official_report, primary] URL: https://dcs.georgia.gov/ - Georgia Department of Corrections, Annual Statistical Reports, Georgia Department of Corrections [official_report, primary] URL: https://gdc.georgia.gov/organization/about-gdc/research-and-reports - Georgia Department of Corrections, Budget Documents, Georgia Department of Corrections [official_report, primary] URL: https://gdc.georgia.gov/organization/about-gdc/budget - Georgia Department of Corrections, Facilities Division — Transitional Centers, Georgia Department of Corrections [official_report, primary] URL: https://gdc.georgia.gov/organization/operations/facilities-division/facilities/transitional-centers - Georgia Justice Project, Georgia Criminal Justice Data, Georgia Justice Project [data_portal, secondary] URL: https://www.gjp.org/ - Governor's Office of Planning and Budget, FY 2025 Governor's Budget Report, Governor's Office of Planning and Budget [official_report, primary] URL: https://opb.georgia.gov/budget-information/budget-documents - Graves BD, Fendrich M, Community-Based Substance Use Treatments, Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports, 2024, Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports by Graves BD, Fendrich M (2024-01-01) [academic, primary] URL: https://www.globalwn.org/files/2025-06/Graves%20and%20Fendrick%20(2024)%20.pdf - Green TC, et al., Postincarceration Fatal Overdoses, JAMA Psychiatry, 2018, JAMA Psychiatry by Green TC, et al. (2018-04-01) [academic, primary] URL: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2671411 - Investigation of the Georgia Department of Corrections, U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, September 2024, U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division (2024-09-01) [legal_document, primary] URL: https://www.justice.gov/d9/2024-09/findings_report_-_investigation_of_georgia_prisons.pdf - Kaiser Family Foundation, Status of State Medicaid Expansion Decisions, Kaiser Family Foundation [data_portal, primary] URL: https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/issue-brief/status-of-state-medicaid-expansion-decisions-interactive-map/ - Mallik-Kane K, Visher CA, Health and Prisoner Reentry, Urban Institute, 2008, Urban Institute by Mallik-Kane K, Visher CA (2008-01-01) [academic, primary] URL: https://www.urban.org/research/publication/health-and-prisoner-reentry - Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC), Medicaid and Incarceration, MACPAC [official_report, primary] URL: https://www.macpac.gov/subtopic/incarceration/ - National Association of Counties, Effective Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder for Incarcerated Populations, National Association of Counties [official_report, secondary] URL: https://www.naco.org/resource/osc-incarcerated-pops - Pew Charitable Trusts, Georgia's Justice Reforms, Pew Charitable Trusts (2017-06-01) [official_report, secondary] URL: https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/issue-briefs/2017/06/georgias-justice-reforms - Prison Policy Initiative, Georgia Profile, Prison Policy Initiative [data_portal, secondary] URL: https://www.prisonpolicy.org/profiles/GA.html - RAND Corporation, Evaluating the Effectiveness of Correctional Education, 2013, RAND Corporation (2013-01-01) [academic, primary] URL: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR266.html - Sen. Ossoff, Pushing to Expand Substance Abuse Treatment, Office of Senator Jon Ossoff [press_release, secondary] URL: https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sen-ossoff-pushing-to-expand-substance-abuse-treatment/ - Senate Study Committee Final Report on GDC, 2024, Georgia State Senate (2024-01-01) [official_report, primary] URL: https://www.senate.ga.gov/committees/Documents/2024SenateStudyCommDOCFinalReport.pdf - U.S. Department of Labor, Reentry Employment Opportunities, U.S. Department of Labor [official_report, primary] URL: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/reentry