GPS RESEARCH LIBRARY: Staffing Crisis & Correctional Officer Turnover ============================================================ Georgia Prisoners' Speak — gps.press Generated: 2026-03-07 02:48:50 EST Research Date: 2026-01-01 JSON: https://gps.press/research/staffing-crisis-correctional-officer-turnover/?format=json SUMMARY ---------------------------------------- Georgia's prison system has entered what independent consultants call "emergency mode," with understaffing now functioning as the primary driver of an unprecedented surge in prison violence and death. Between 2019 and 2024, prison homicides in Georgia exploded from 8–9 annually to 66 confirmed deaths in 2024—a trajectory directly correlated with correctional officer vacancy rates that climbed from 20–30% in 2017–2018 to 52.5% system-wide by January 2024. Twenty of Georgia's 34 state prisons now operate at emergency staffing levels, with eight facilities reporting vacancy rates above 70%. This catastrophic understaffing has produced measurable human costs: assaults on inmates rose 54%, assaults on staff rose 77%, and the overall prison death rate surged 47% from 2.8 to 4.1 per 100,000 between 2019 and 2024, according to a February 2026 government-funded Safe Inside initiative report. The root cause is straightforward: Georgia ranks dead last among all 50 states for correctional officer compensation. New officers earn $40,000–$43,000 compared to $46,000–$48,000 in Florida and $47,000 plus a $6,000 signing bonus in Virginia. Georgia's average correctional officer salary of $45,603 falls $12,367 below the national median of $57,970. This pay gap directly explains recruitment and retention collapse: 82.7% of new Georgia correctional officer hires left within their first year between January 2021 and November 2024. The Georgia Department of Corrections could only hire 118 officers per 800 applicants—an acceptance rate below 15%—despite applications doubling to 700+ monthly. Meanwhile, National Institute of Justice research documents that 31,900 correctional officer positions open annually nationwide, nearly all due to replacement needs as workers flee the profession. The human toll extends beyond incarcerated people. Correctional officers experience PTSD at 34%—more than twice the rate among military veterans—and report depression at 26% compared to 9–10% in the general population. The suicide rate among correctional officers is twice that of police officers. These workforce conditions have generated emergency measures across the nation: Florida deployed National Guard troops to prisons in 2023–2024, West Virginia and New Hampshire did the same in 2023, and states have resorted to lowering hiring standards, eliminating reference checks, and reducing academy training requirements. In Georgia specifically, officers at Smith State Prison work 16-hour days five days per week as standard, with night shifts sometimes staffed by only one or two officers covering entire facilities. The Guidehouse consultants retained by Georgia found that at some prisons, gangs are "effectively running the facilities" due to insufficient staff to maintain security. Despite successive emergency pay measures—a 10% raise in FY2022, $5,000 bonuses in FY2023, and a 4% raise plus $3,000 increase in FY2024–2025—Georgia's vacancy rates remain above 50% at most facilities. Governor Kemp's proposed $600 million emergency spending package acknowledges the crisis but cannot address its structural root: the state incarcerates approximately 51,000 people across 34 prisons with only 5,991 budgeted correctional officer positions. The Prison Policy Initiative and independent researchers have concluded that chronic understaffing is an "untreatable symptom of mass incarceration," not a recruitment problem. Sustainable solutions require decarceration through expanded parole, sentencing reform, and alternatives to incarceration—measures that remain politically difficult despite the documented emergency. Until Georgia addresses incarceration volume, staffing levels will continue deteriorating, violence will escalate, and correctional officers will continue abandoning a profession that offers less pay than fast-food work with exponentially higher danger. FINDINGS (31) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] State prisons became nearly 50% deadlier over five years A February 2026 government-funded report from the Safe Inside initiative found that state prisons became nearly 50% deadlier over the past five years, with understaffing identified as the primary driver. Date: 2026-02-01 Tags: prison deaths, understaffing, national, Safe Inside Sources: Safe Inside Initiative Report (February 2026); Atlanta Journal-Constitution Investigations on Georgia Prison Conditions - [confirmed] Guidehouse concluded Georgia prisons in 'emergency mode' The Guidehouse consultants hired by Georgia concluded the prison system is in 'emergency mode' with no quick fix possible. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: Guidehouse, Georgia, emergency, assessment Sources: Guidehouse Inc. / The Moss Group / Carter Goble Lee Consultants' Report on Georgia Prison Conditions - [confirmed] Florida deployed National Guard to prisons Florida's correctional staffing crisis was severe enough to require National Guard deployment in 2023-2024. Date: 2023-01-01 Tags: Florida, National Guard, staffing crisis - [confirmed] West Virginia deployed National Guard to prisons West Virginia's correctional staffing crisis was severe enough to require National Guard deployment in 2023. Date: 2023-01-01 Tags: West Virginia, National Guard, staffing crisis - [confirmed] New Hampshire deployed National Guard to prisons New Hampshire's correctional staffing crisis was severe enough to require National Guard deployment in 2023. Date: 2023-01-01 Tags: New Hampshire, National Guard, staffing crisis - [confirmed] Noncompetitive compensation is top recruiting barrier Noncompetitive compensation was the most frequently cited reason for recruiting difficulty and the second most frequently cited reason for retention problems in the American Correctional Association's workforce study. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: compensation, recruitment, retention, ACA Sources: American Correctional Association: Recruitment and Retention of Correctional Staff (2024) - [confirmed] Officers unable to take bathroom breaks due to understaffing Safe Inside researchers found some officers were unable to even take bathroom breaks because there was no one to cover them. Date: 2026-02-01 Tags: understaffing, working conditions, Safe Inside Sources: Safe Inside Initiative Report (February 2026); Atlanta Journal-Constitution Investigations on Georgia Prison Conditions - [reported] Smith State Prison officers working 16-hour days, five days a week Officers at Smith State Prison in Georgia reported working 16-hour days, five days a week as the norm. Tags: Georgia, Smith State Prison, overtime, working conditions Sources: Atlanta Journal-Constitution Investigations on Georgia Prison Conditions - [confirmed] Gangs effectively running Georgia prisons due to understaffing The Guidehouse consultants found that at some Georgia prisons, gangs are 'effectively running the facilities' due to lack of staff, with violence becoming the mechanism of social control. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: Georgia, gangs, power vacuum, security breakdown Sources: Guidehouse Inc. / The Moss Group / Carter Goble Lee Consultants' Report on Georgia Prison Conditions; Atlanta Journal-Constitution Investigations on Georgia Prison Conditions - [confirmed] Night shifts may have only 1-2 officers covering entire prison The Guidehouse consultants found that at night shifts in Georgia prisons, if two officers have to leave to transport a sick or injured prisoner to the hospital, 'that could mean only one or two officers are left to cover an entire prison.' Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: Georgia, night shift, understaffing, dangerous conditions Sources: Guidehouse Inc. / The Moss Group / Carter Goble Lee Consultants' Report on Georgia Prison Conditions - [confirmed] Most Southern states pay new COs more than Georgia The Guidehouse consultants confirmed that most Southern states pay new correctional officers more than Georgia. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: Georgia, salary, Southern states, comparison Sources: Guidehouse Inc. / The Moss Group / Carter Goble Lee Consultants' Report on Georgia Prison Conditions - [confirmed] Georgia CO retirement benefits 'aren't as generous as they used to be' The Guidehouse consultants found that retirement benefits for Georgia correctional officers 'aren't as generous as they used to be,' removing another traditional retention incentive. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: Georgia, retirement, benefits, retention Sources: Guidehouse Inc. / The Moss Group / Carter Goble Lee Consultants' Report on Georgia Prison Conditions - [reported] Chronic understaffing is structural, not a recruitment problem The Prison Policy Initiative has argued that chronic understaffing is 'an untreatable symptom of mass incarceration — not a recruitment problem.' Date: 2024-12-01 Tags: mass incarceration, structural, Prison Policy Initiative, decarceration Sources: Prison Policy Initiative Staff Decline Analysis (2020–2023); Atlanta Journal-Constitution Investigations on Georgia Prison Conditions - [disputed] GDC claimed understaffing 'did not play a role' in Zino death The Georgia Department of Corrections claimed 'understaffing did not play a role' in Anthony Zino's death and refused to release investigative documents, labeling them 'confidential state secrets.' Date: 2024-04-01 Tags: Georgia, transparency, Anthony Zino, GDC denial, confidential Sources: Atlanta Journal-Constitution Investigations on Georgia Prison Conditions - [confirmed] Understaffing vicious cycle: overtime → burnout → resignations → worse understaffing Understaffing creates a self-reinforcing destruction loop: understaffing forces mandatory overtime → overtime causes burnout → burnout drives resignations → resignations worsen understaffing. Officers described the phenomenon using the word 'exhausted' more than any other. Tags: vicious cycle, overtime, burnout, turnover, systemic Sources: Atlanta Journal-Constitution Investigations on Georgia Prison Conditions - [confirmed] Medical staff sometimes reassigned to officer duties There is a shortage of medical and social work staff in prisons, and these professionals are sometimes reassigned to handle officer duties due to understaffing. Tags: medical staff, reassignment, understaffing Sources: Atlanta Journal-Constitution Investigations on Georgia Prison Conditions - [reported] Prison requiring 30 officers per shift operating with 15 or fewer When a prison that requires 30 officers per shift operates with 15 or fewer, entire housing units go unmonitored and routine security protocols break down. Tags: understaffing, supervision, security breakdown - [confirmed] Commissioner Oliver testified to $3,000 salary increases and 4% bumps Commissioner Oliver testified to legislators about $3,000 salary increases and 4% bumps in recent years, but the state is paying more per officer while employing fewer officers than before the spending surge began. Tags: Georgia, Commissioner Oliver, spending paradox, salary Sources: Georgia Department of Corrections Staffing and Salary Data - [reported] Decarceration proposed as only sustainable path to adequate staffing Researchers, advocates, and some corrections professionals have concluded that the only sustainable path to adequate staffing ratios is reducing the number of people incarcerated, through expanded parole, sentencing reform, alternatives to incarceration, elimination of cash bail, review of life sentences, and community-based supervision. Tags: decarceration, policy, reform, staffing, sustainability - [confirmed] Florida, West Virginia, and New Hampshire deployed National Guard to prisons Florida (2023-2024), West Virginia (2023), and New Hampshire (2023) all experienced correctional officer shortages severe enough to require National Guard deployment to prisons. Date: 2024-12-31 Tags: National Guard, Florida, West Virginia, New Hampshire, emergency measures - [confirmed] Noncompetitive compensation is top reason for CO recruiting difficulty Noncompetitive compensation was the most frequently cited reason for recruiting difficulty and the second most frequently cited reason for retention problems in the American Correctional Association's workforce study. Date: 2024-12-31 Tags: compensation, recruitment, retention, ACA Sources: American Correctional Association: Recruitment and Retention of Correctional Staff (2024) - [confirmed] Safe Inside found officers unable to take bathroom breaks due to no coverage Safe Inside researchers found some correctional officers were unable to even take bathroom breaks because there was no one to cover them. Date: 2026-02-01 Tags: working conditions, understaffing, Safe Inside Sources: Safe Inside Initiative (Feb 2026); Safe Inside Initiative Report (February 2026) - [confirmed] Fatigued guards take twice the number of sick days Guards experiencing high fatigue take twice the number of sick days as those with normal fatigue levels, doubling the cost of lost productivity and further straining remaining staff. Tags: fatigue, sick days, burnout, productivity - [confirmed] Understaffed prisons resort to 23+ hour lockdowns Understaffed prisons resort to continuous lockdowns, confining people to cells 23+ hours per day. Research shows lockdowns 'drive mental health issues through the roof, assaults through the roof. It's like a ticking time bomb.' Tags: lockdowns, mental health, understaffing, violence - [confirmed] GDC labeled investigative documents 'confidential state secrets' The Georgia Department of Corrections refused to release investigative documents related to Anthony Zino's death, labeling them 'confidential state secrets.' Date: 2024-04-01 Tags: GDC, transparency, state secrets, Anthony Zino - [confirmed] Shopping mall opening near Georgia prison caused CO departures to retail A University of Georgia MPA study documented a case where a new shopping mall opened near a Georgia prison, and correctional officers and counselors left to work retail at comparable wages with far less stress and danger. Tags: Georgia, retail competition, UGA, labor market, compensation Sources: University of Georgia MPA Program: Strategies to Improve Training and Retention of Correctional Officers - [confirmed] Guidehouse: retirement benefits for Georgia COs not as generous as they used to be The Guidehouse consultants found that retirement benefits for Georgia correctional officers 'aren't as generous as they used to be,' removing another traditional retention incentive. Date: 2024-12-31 Tags: Georgia, retirement, benefits, Guidehouse, retention Sources: Guidehouse Inc. / The Moss Group / Carter Goble Lee Consultants' Report on Georgia Prison Conditions - [reported] Nevada contemplated drones and monitoring shackles as CO substitutes Nevada contemplated using drones and monitoring shackles to substitute for correctional officers as a desperate measure to address staffing shortages. Tags: Nevada, technology, drones, desperate measures - [reported] Arizona eliminated reference checks to speed CO hiring Arizona eliminated reference checks to speed correctional officer hiring as a desperate measure to address staffing shortages. Tags: Arizona, hiring standards, desperate measures - [confirmed] Medical and social work staff sometimes reassigned to officer duties There is a shortage of medical and social work staff in prisons, and these professionals are sometimes reassigned to handle officer duties due to the staffing crisis. Tags: medical staff, reassignment, understaffing, healthcare - [confirmed] Some North Carolina facilities had officers working multiple 18-hour shifts in a row Some North Carolina correctional facilities reported officers working multiple 18-hour shifts in a row due to mandatory overtime. Date: 2023-12-31 Tags: North Carolina, overtime, shifts, burnout Sources: North Carolina Department of Adult Correction Staffing Data (January 2026) STATISTICS (120) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] Assaults on inmates rose 54% (2019–2024) Assaults on inmates rose 54% between 2019 and 2024 according to the Safe Inside initiative report. Value: 54 percent increase Date: 2024-12-31 Tags: assaults, inmates, violence, national Sources: Safe Inside Initiative Report (February 2026) - [confirmed] Assaults on staff rose 77% (2019–2024) Assaults on staff rose 77% between 2019 and 2024 according to the Safe Inside initiative report. Value: 77 percent increase Date: 2024-12-31 Tags: assaults, staff, violence, national Sources: Safe Inside Initiative Report (February 2026) - [confirmed] Prison death rate surged 47% (2019–2024) The prison death rate surged 47% between 2019 and 2024, from 2.8 per 100,000 to 4.1 per 100,000. Value: 47 percent increase (vs. 2.8 2019 death rate per 100K) Date: 2024-12-31 Tags: prison deaths, death rate, national Sources: Safe Inside Initiative Report (February 2026) - [confirmed] National overtime spending exceeded $2 billion in 2024 Understaffing cost states over $2 billion in overtime in 2024 alone, an 80% increase from five years earlier. Value: 2000000000 dollars (vs. 1100000000 2019 approximate overtime spending) Date: 2024-12-31 Tags: overtime, costs, national, understaffing Sources: Safe Inside Initiative Report (February 2026); Atlanta Journal-Constitution Investigations on Georgia Prison Conditions - [confirmed] BLS projects 31,900 CO openings annually through 2034 The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects approximately 31,900 correctional officer openings each year through 2034, nearly all from replacement needs as workers flee the profession. Value: 31900 annual openings Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: BLS, projections, workforce, correctional officers Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook: Correctional Officers and Bailiffs - [confirmed] Georgia CO vacancy rate at 52.5% Georgia has a 52.5% correctional officer vacancy rate system-wide as of 2024. Value: 52.5 percent vacancy Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: Georgia, vacancy rate, GDC, staffing crisis Sources: Georgia Department of Corrections Staffing and Salary Data - [confirmed] 20 of 34 Georgia prisons at emergency staffing levels 20 of 34 Georgia state prisons are operating at 'emergency levels' of staffing, with 50%+ vacancy rates. Value: 20 facilities (vs. 34 total state prisons) Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: Georgia, emergency, facilities, vacancy - [confirmed] 82.7% of Georgia new CO hires leave within first year Between January 2021 and November 2024, 82.7% of new correctional officer hires at Georgia's Department of Corrections left within their first year. Value: 82.7 percent first-year attrition (vs. 38 national first-year departure rate) Date: 2024-11-30 Tags: Georgia, attrition, first-year, turnover, GDC - [confirmed] Georgia prison homicides exploded to 66 in 2024 Prison homicides in Georgia exploded from 8–9 annually in 2017–2018 to 66 confirmed in 2024. Value: 66 homicides (vs. 8-9 annual homicides in 2017-2018) Date: 2024-12-31 Tags: Georgia, homicides, violence, deaths Sources: Atlanta Journal-Constitution Investigations on Georgia Prison Conditions; Georgia Department of Corrections Staffing and Salary Data - [confirmed] National correctional workforce declined 10% (2019-2023) The total number of people working in state correctional systems dropped by 10% between 2019 and 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Value: 10 percent decline Date: 2023-12-31 Tags: workforce decline, national, Census Bureau Sources: U.S. Census Bureau Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll - [confirmed] Over 64,000 corrections staff lost between 2020 and 2023 The Prison Policy Initiative documented a loss of over 64,000 corrections staff between 2020 and 2023 — roughly a 12% decline at the state and local level. Value: 64000 staff lost Date: 2023-12-31 Tags: workforce decline, national, Prison Policy Initiative Sources: Prison Policy Initiative Staff Decline Analysis (2020–2023) - [confirmed] 25 states lost at least 10% of prison employees (2019-2023) The Marshall Project found using Census data that 25 states lost at least 10% of their prison employees between 2019 and 2023. Only three states increased their correctional staffing by 10% or more. Value: 25 states (vs. 3 states that increased staffing by 10%+) Date: 2023-12-31 Tags: workforce decline, national, states, Marshall Project Sources: The Marshall Project: Data Reveals Prison Crisis: More Prisoners, Fewer Correctional Officers - [confirmed] NIJ reports some prison vacancy rates approach 50% The National Institute of Justice reports that correctional officer vacancy rates in some prisons approach 50 percent, with annual turnover rates as high as 55 percent in some state systems. Value: 50 percent vacancy rate (vs. 55 turnover rate in worst systems) Tags: vacancy, turnover, national, NIJ Sources: National Institute of Justice: Workforce Issues in Corrections; Alabama Commission on the Evaluation of Services: Correctional Officer Recruitment & Retention Efforts - [confirmed] Georgia vacancy rate 70%+ at 8 facilities Georgia had vacancy rates of 70% or higher at 8 of its 34 state prison facilities as of October 2024. Value: 8 facilities with 70%+ vacancy (vs. 34 total state prisons) Date: 2024-10-01 Tags: Georgia, vacancy, facilities Sources: Guidehouse Inc. / The Moss Group / Carter Goble Lee Consultants' Report on Georgia Prison Conditions - [confirmed] North Carolina 49% CO vacancy rate North Carolina had a 49% system-wide correctional officer vacancy rate as of January 2026, with up to 69% at worst facilities. Of 9,682 positions needed, only 4,979 were filled. Value: 49 percent vacancy (vs. 69 worst facility vacancy rate) Date: 2026-01-01 Tags: North Carolina, vacancy, staffing Sources: North Carolina Department of Adult Correction Staffing Data (January 2026) - [confirmed] New York 27.4% CO vacancy rate New York had a 27.4% system-wide correctional officer vacancy rate as of April 2025, with up to 66.6% at worst facilities. The vacancy rate had doubled. Value: 27.4 percent vacancy (vs. 66.6 worst facility vacancy rate) Date: 2025-04-01 Tags: New York, vacancy, staffing Sources: Correctional Association of New York Dashboard Update (December 2025) - [estimated] Michigan ~17% CO vacancy rate system-wide Michigan had approximately 17% system-wide correctional officer vacancy rate in 2024, with approximately 33% at worst facilities. Value: 17 percent vacancy (vs. 33 worst facility vacancy rate) Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: Michigan, vacancy, staffing - [confirmed] National CO turnover ranges 30-40% in worst states Annual correctional officer turnover nationally ranges from 12% to 45% depending on the state and measurement methodology, with research centering around 30–40% for the worst-performing states. Value: 30-40 percent annual turnover (worst states) (vs. 12-45 full national range) Tags: turnover, national, correctional officers - [confirmed] Southeastern states exceed 35% CO turnover A review by the Alabama Commission on the Evaluation of Services found that recent turnover rates in Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, and South Carolina all exceeded 35%, with some instances reported above 100%. Value: 35 percent minimum turnover (vs. 100 some reported instances) Date: 2024-12-01 Tags: turnover, southeastern states, Alabama Commission Sources: Alabama Commission on the Evaluation of Services: Correctional Officer Recruitment & Retention Efforts - [confirmed] Georgia CO turnover peaked at 47% in FY2022 Georgia's correctional officer turnover rate peaked at 47% in fiscal year 2022 before declining to a projected 32% by mid-2024. Value: 47 percent turnover (vs. 32 projected mid-2024 turnover) Date: 2022-06-30 Tags: Georgia, turnover, GDC Sources: Georgia Department of Corrections Staffing and Salary Data - [confirmed] 38% of correctional staff nationally leave within first year The Carey Group (2023) found that 38% of correctional staff nationally leave within their first year, and nearly 50% leave within five years. Value: 38 percent first-year departure (vs. 50 five-year departure rate) Date: 2023-01-01 Tags: turnover, first-year, national, Carey Group Sources: The Carey Group: Reducing Corrections Staff Turnover Through Evidence-based Strategies - [confirmed] North Carolina hired 1,530 but ended year with 38 fewer positions filled North Carolina recorded 1,530 new CO hires in 2025 but ended the year with 38 fewer filled positions than the year before, demonstrating that hiring cannot keep pace with departures. Value: 1530 new hires (vs. -38 net change in filled positions) Date: 2025-12-31 Tags: North Carolina, hiring, attrition, net loss - [confirmed] BLS projects 7% CO employment decline through 2034 The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects overall employment of correctional officers and bailiffs will decline 7% from 2024 to 2034. Value: -7 percent employment change Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: BLS, projections, employment decline Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook: Correctional Officers and Bailiffs - [confirmed] North Carolina prison staff logged 1.6 million overtime hours in 2023 In North Carolina, prison staff logged 1.6 million hours of overtime in 2023 alone, with some facilities reporting officers working multiple 18-hour shifts in a row. Value: 1600000 overtime hours Date: 2023-12-31 Tags: North Carolina, overtime, burnout Sources: NC Newsline / NC Health News Reporting on North Carolina CO Vacancies; North Carolina Department of Adult Correction Staffing Data (January 2026) - [confirmed] CO PTSD rate is 34% Correctional officers experience PTSD at a rate of 34% — more than twice the rate among military veterans. Value: 34 percent PTSD rate Tags: PTSD, mental health, correctional officers - [confirmed] CO suicide rate twice that of police officers The suicide rate among correctional officers is twice as high as for police officers and 39% higher than the general working-age population. Value: 2 times police officer suicide rate (vs. 39 percent higher than general working-age population) Tags: suicide, mental health, correctional officers - [confirmed] 85% of prison guards have seen someone seriously injured or killed According to the Vera Institute, 85% of prison guards report having seen someone seriously injured or killed at work. Value: 85 percent Date: 2023-10-01 Tags: trauma, violence, correctional officers, Vera Institute Sources: Vera Institute of Justice: Prisons and Jails are Violent; They Don't Have to Be - [confirmed] CO nonfatal injury rate of 244 per 10,000 workers Nonfatal workplace injuries among correctional officers occur at a rate of 244 per 10,000 full-time workers — one of the highest of any profession. Value: 244 per 10,000 full-time workers Tags: injuries, workplace safety, correctional officers - [confirmed] CO life expectancy approximately 59 years Correctional officers have a documented life expectancy of approximately 59 years, compared to the national average of 75+ years. Value: 59 years life expectancy (vs. 75 national average life expectancy) Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: life expectancy, health, correctional officers - [confirmed] CO depression rate approximately 26% Depression rates among correctional officers run approximately 26%, compared to 9–10% in the general population. Value: 26 percent depression rate (vs. 9-10 general population depression rate) Tags: depression, mental health, correctional officers - [confirmed] Alabama per-CO turnover cost: $64,635 weighted average Alabama's analysis found a weighted average individual CO turnover cost of $64,635 (FY2019-FY2023), with costs rising from $55,176 in FY2019 to $78,402 in FY2023. Value: 64635 dollars per officer Date: 2023-06-30 Tags: Alabama, turnover cost, replacement cost Sources: Alabama Commission on the Evaluation of Services: Correctional Officer Recruitment & Retention Efforts - [confirmed] Alabama FY2019 per-CO turnover cost: $55,176 Alabama's individual correctional officer turnover cost was $55,176 in fiscal year 2019. Value: 55176 dollars per officer Date: 2019-06-30 Tags: Alabama, turnover cost Sources: Alabama Commission on the Evaluation of Services: Correctional Officer Recruitment & Retention Efforts - [confirmed] Alabama FY2023 per-CO turnover cost: $78,402 Alabama's individual correctional officer turnover cost was $78,402 in fiscal year 2023. Value: 78402 dollars per officer (vs. 55176 FY2019 cost) Date: 2023-06-30 Tags: Alabama, turnover cost Sources: Alabama Commission on the Evaluation of Services: Correctional Officer Recruitment & Retention Efforts - [confirmed] Alabama total annual CO turnover cost exceeds $11 million Alabama's total annual correctional officer turnover cost exceeded $11 million per year. Value: 11000000 dollars per year Date: 2023-06-30 Tags: Alabama, turnover cost, total - [estimated] Industry CO training cost estimate: $20,000-$50,000 per recruit Industry estimates place per-officer training costs at $20,000–$50,000 per recruit for academy training and on-the-job learning alone, before accounting for lost productivity or recruitment overhead. Value: 20000-50000 dollars per recruit Tags: training cost, recruitment, correctional officers - [confirmed] West Virginia: $13 million overtime at three facilities Three correctional facilities in West Virginia alone spent over $13 million in overtime in a single year (2016). Value: 13000000 dollars overtime Date: 2016-12-31 Tags: West Virginia, overtime, costs - [confirmed] Corrections spending up 27% while populations shrank 15% Corrections spending nationally increased 27% from 2017 to 2025 despite prison populations shrinking by 15% in the same period, driven largely by overtime and emergency pay increases. Value: 27 percent spending increase (vs. -15 prison population change) Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: spending, national, decarceration paradox Sources: Prison Policy Initiative: Following the Money 2026 - [confirmed] High-fatigue officers take twice the sick days Guards experiencing high fatigue take twice the number of sick days as those with normal fatigue levels, doubling the cost of lost productivity and further straining remaining staff. Value: 2 times normal sick days Tags: fatigue, sick days, burnout, productivity - [confirmed] Ohio burned-out officers worked 80-hour workweeks The BLS estimates that burned-out officers in Ohio worked 80-hour workweeks with no ongoing training, leading to dangerous inability to 'make proper decisions.' Value: 80 hours per week Tags: Ohio, overtime, burnout, decision-making Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook: Correctional Officers and Bailiffs - [confirmed] Federal Inspector General: understaffing factor in ~30 of 344 deaths The federal Inspector General found understaffing was a factor in roughly 30 of 344 deaths examined in federal prisons alone. Value: 30 deaths linked to understaffing (vs. 344 total deaths examined) Date: 2024-02-01 Tags: federal prisons, deaths, Inspector General, understaffing Sources: DOJ Inspector General Review of Federal Inmate Deaths (February 2024); Atlanta Journal-Constitution Investigations on Georgia Prison Conditions - [confirmed] Seven homicides at Smith State Prison in 2024 At Smith State Prison, seven prisoners were victims of homicides in 2024 alone — the most of any GDC facility — at a prison already reeling from a contraband scandal that ensnared its former warden. Value: 7 homicides Date: 2024-12-31 Tags: Georgia, Smith State Prison, homicides, contraband scandal Sources: Atlanta Journal-Constitution Investigations on Georgia Prison Conditions - [confirmed] Valdosta State Prison 80% CO vacancy rate At Valdosta State Prison, which houses GDC's highest percentages of both gang members and people with mental health issues, 80% of correctional officer positions were vacant as of April 2024. Value: 80 percent vacancy Date: 2024-04-01 Tags: Georgia, Valdosta State Prison, vacancy, gangs, mental health Sources: Atlanta Journal-Constitution Investigations on Georgia Prison Conditions - [confirmed] Georgia starting salary: $40,000 min-security, $43,000 max-security Georgia's Department of Corrections pays starting correctional officers $40,000 for minimum-security facilities and $43,000 for maximum-security facilities. Value: 40000-43000 dollars starting salary Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: Georgia, salary, compensation, GDC Sources: Georgia Department of Corrections Staffing and Salary Data - [confirmed] Florida CO starting salary: ~$46,000-$48,000 Florida correctional officer starting salary is approximately $46,000–$48,000 after recent increases; was $33,000 in 2019. Value: 46000-48000 dollars starting salary (vs. 33000 2019 starting salary) Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: Florida, salary, comparison - [confirmed] Alabama CO starting salary: ~$44,000-$46,000 Alabama correctional officer starting salary is approximately $44,000–$46,000 after a 10% increase in 2022. Value: 44000-46000 dollars starting salary Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: Alabama, salary, comparison - [confirmed] Virginia CO starting salary: ~$47,000 plus $6,000 signing bonus Virginia correctional officer starting salary is approximately $47,000, plus a $6,000 signing bonus. Value: 47000 dollars starting salary (vs. 6000 signing bonus) Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: Virginia, salary, comparison, signing bonus - [reported] Georgia ranks #50 of 50 states for CO pay Georgia ranks dead last — #50 out of 50 states — for correctional officer pay according to ZipRecruiter's analysis of actual job postings and salary data. Value: 50 rank out of 50 states Date: 2025-12-01 Tags: Georgia, salary, ranking, worst in nation Sources: ZipRecruiter Correctional Officer Salary Data (December 2025) - [reported] Georgia average CO salary: $45,603 vs national average $54,007 Georgia's average correctional officer salary of $45,603 falls $8,404 below the national average of $54,007. Value: 45603 dollars average salary (vs. 54007 national average) Date: 2025-12-01 Tags: Georgia, salary, national comparison Sources: ZipRecruiter Correctional Officer Salary Data (December 2025) - [confirmed] BLS national median CO salary: $57,970 The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a national median correctional officer salary of $57,970 as of May 2024. Value: 57970 dollars median salary Date: 2024-05-01 Tags: BLS, salary, national median Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (SOC 33-3012) - [reported] Georgia average CO salary $12,367 below BLS national median Georgia's average CO salary of $45,603 falls $12,367 below the BLS national median of $57,970. Value: 12367 dollars below national median Date: 2025-12-01 Tags: Georgia, salary, pay gap - [reported] Salary.com reports Georgia average CO salary of $50,549 Salary.com reports a Georgia average correctional officer salary of $50,549 as of January 2026, placing it in the bottom third nationally. Value: 50549 dollars average salary Date: 2026-01-01 Tags: Georgia, salary, Salary.com Sources: Salary.com Correctional Officer Salary Data (January 2026) - [estimated] Georgia COs earn roughly $19-$21/hour Georgia's correctional officers earn roughly $19–$21 per hour — comparable to or less than many warehouse, retail, and fast-food positions in the Atlanta metro area. Value: 19-21 dollars per hour Tags: Georgia, hourly wage, competition, retail - [confirmed] GDC staff fell from 8,158 to 6,169 FTEs (FY2020-FY2022) GDC staff fell from 8,158 full-time equivalents in FY 2020 to 6,169 by FY 2022 — a loss of nearly 2,000 positions (approximately 24% decline) — despite pay increases. Value: 6169 full-time equivalents (vs. 8158 FY 2020 FTEs) Date: 2022-06-30 Tags: Georgia, GDC, staffing decline, FTEs Sources: Georgia Department of Corrections Staffing and Salary Data - [confirmed] GDC applications doubled but acceptance rate under 15% GDC applications doubled from approximately 300/month to 700+/month, but the GDC could only hire 118 officers for every 800 applicants in a recent six-month period — an acceptance rate of less than 15%. Most applicants cannot pass hiring requirements. Value: 118 hires per 800 applicants (vs. 15 percent acceptance rate) Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: Georgia, hiring, applicants, acceptance rate, GDC Sources: Guidehouse Inc. / The Moss Group / Carter Goble Lee Consultants' Report on Georgia Prison Conditions - [confirmed] Georgia incarcerates approximately 51,000 people across 34 prisons Georgia incarcerates approximately 51,000 people across 34 state prisons. Value: 51000 incarcerated people (vs. 34 state prisons) Tags: Georgia, prison population, incarceration - [confirmed] Georgia has 5,991 authorized CO positions Georgia's Department of Corrections has 5,991 budgeted correctional officer positions, of which 2,985 were vacant as of January 2024. Value: 5991 budgeted positions (vs. 2985 vacant positions) Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: Georgia, GDC, positions, vacancy - [confirmed] Total criminal justice spending: $445 billion The Prison Policy Initiative's Following the Money 2026 report found total criminal justice spending of $445 billion. Value: 445000000000 dollars Date: 2026-02-01 Tags: spending, national, criminal justice, Prison Policy Initiative Sources: Prison Policy Initiative: Following the Money 2026 - [reported] Nearly 10,000 people serving life sentences in Georgia Nearly 10,000 people are serving life sentences in Georgia's prison system. Value: 10000 people serving life sentences Tags: Georgia, life sentences, sentencing - [confirmed] Total CO/Jailer jobs nationally: 387,500 The total number of correctional officer and jailer jobs nationally is 387,500 according to BLS 2024 data. Value: 387500 jobs Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: BLS, national, workforce, employment Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (SOC 33-3012) - [estimated] Total Georgia prison deaths approximately 330 in 2024 Total prison deaths in Georgia were approximately 330 in 2024 according to GPS tracking. Value: 330 deaths Date: 2024-12-31 Tags: Georgia, deaths, GDC, GPS tracking Sources: Georgia Prisoners' Speak Death Tracking Data - [confirmed] Georgia prison homicides 37-38 in 2023 Georgia prison homicides were 37–38 in 2023, when the CO vacancy rate was approximately 45–50%. Value: 37-38 homicides (vs. 45-50 percent vacancy rate) Date: 2023-12-31 Tags: Georgia, homicides, vacancy rate Sources: Atlanta Journal-Constitution Investigations on Georgia Prison Conditions - [estimated] Georgia CO vacancy rate was ~20-30% in 2017-2018 Georgia's correctional officer vacancy rate was approximately 20–30% in 2017–2018, when prison homicides were 8–9 per year. Value: 20-30 percent vacancy (vs. 8-9 annual homicides) Date: 2018-12-31 Tags: Georgia, vacancy, historical, homicides - [confirmed] North Carolina CO starting salary: $36,000-$40,000 North Carolina correctional officer starting salary is $36,000–$40,000, lower than Georgia's borders, with a 49% vacancy rate. Value: 36000-40000 dollars starting salary Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: North Carolina, salary, comparison Sources: NC Newsline / NC Health News Reporting on North Carolina CO Vacancies; Georgia Department of Corrections Staffing and Salary Data; North Carolina Department of Adult Correction Staffing Data (January 2026) - [confirmed] South Carolina CO starting salary: ~$43,000-$45,000 South Carolina correctional officer starting salary is approximately $43,000–$45,000 after recent adjustments. Value: 43000-45000 dollars starting salary Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: South Carolina, salary, comparison Sources: Georgia Department of Corrections Staffing and Salary Data - [confirmed] Tennessee CO starting salary: ~$42,000-$44,000 Tennessee correctional officer starting salary is approximately $42,000–$44,000 after recruitment bonuses. Value: 42000-44000 dollars starting salary Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: Tennessee, salary, comparison - [confirmed] Mississippi CO starting salary: ~$37,000-$40,000 Mississippi correctional officer starting salary is approximately $37,000–$40,000 after a 10% increase in 2022. Value: 37000-40000 dollars starting salary Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: Mississippi, salary, comparison Sources: Georgia Department of Corrections Staffing and Salary Data - [confirmed] Assaults on inmates rose 54% (2019-2024) Assaults on inmates in state prisons rose 54% between 2019 and 2024, according to the Safe Inside initiative report funded by the DOJ. Value: 54 percent increase Date: 2026-02-01 Tags: violence, assaults, inmates, national, Safe Inside Sources: Safe Inside Initiative (Feb 2026); Safe Inside Initiative Report (February 2026) - [confirmed] Assaults on staff rose 77% (2019-2024) Assaults on prison staff rose 77% between 2019 and 2024, according to the Safe Inside initiative report. Value: 77 percent increase Date: 2026-02-01 Tags: violence, assaults, staff, national, Safe Inside Sources: Safe Inside Initiative (Feb 2026); Safe Inside Initiative Report (February 2026) - [confirmed] Prison death rate per 100K: 2.8 in 2019, 4.1 in 2024 The prison death rate was 2.8 per 100,000 in 2019 and rose to 4.1 per 100,000 in 2024, a 47% increase, according to the Safe Inside initiative report. Value: 4.1 deaths per 100,000 (vs. 2.8 2019 death rate per 100K) Date: 2024-12-31 Tags: death rate, national, Safe Inside, mortality Sources: Safe Inside Initiative (Feb 2026) - [confirmed] National overtime spending rose 80% over five years National prison overtime spending of over $2 billion in 2024 represented an 80% increase from five years earlier (approximately $1.1 billion in 2019). Value: 80 percent increase (vs. 1.1 approximate 2019 overtime spending in billions) Date: 2024-12-31 Tags: overtime, spending, national, Safe Inside Sources: Safe Inside Initiative (Feb 2026); Safe Inside Initiative Report (February 2026) - [confirmed] State correctional workforce declined 10% between 2019 and 2023 The total number of people working in state correctional systems — including prison guards, administrative staff, parole and probation officers — dropped by 10% between 2019 and 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Value: 10 percent decline Date: 2023-12-31 Tags: workforce, national, Census Bureau, staffing decline Sources: U.S. Census Bureau Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll - [confirmed] Over 64,000 corrections staff lost between 2020 and 2023 The Prison Policy Initiative documented a loss of over 64,000 corrections staff between 2020 and 2023, roughly a 12% decline at the state and local level. Value: 64000 corrections staff lost (vs. 12 percent decline at state and local level) Date: 2023-12-31 Tags: workforce, national, Prison Policy Initiative, staffing decline Sources: Prison Policy Initiative Staff Decline Analysis (2020–2023) - [confirmed] 25 states lost at least 10% of prison employees (2019-2023) Using Census data, The Marshall Project found that 25 states lost at least 10% of their prison employees between 2019 and 2023. Only three states increased their correctional staffing by 10% or more. Value: 25 states (vs. 3 states that increased staffing by 10%+) Date: 2023-12-31 Tags: workforce, national, Marshall Project, staffing decline Sources: The Marshall Project: Data Reveals Prison Crisis: More Prisoners, Fewer Correctional Officers - [confirmed] NIJ reports CO vacancy rates approaching 50% and turnover up to 55% The National Institute of Justice reports that correctional officer vacancy rates in some prisons approach 50 percent, with annual turnover rates as high as 55 percent in some state systems. Value: 55 percent turnover (vs. 50 percent vacancy rate) Tags: vacancy, turnover, national, NIJ Sources: National Institute of Justice: Workforce Issues in Corrections; Alabama Commission on the Evaluation of Services: Correctional Officer Recruitment & Retention Efforts - [confirmed] North Carolina CO vacancy rate: 49% system-wide, up to 69% at worst facilities North Carolina had a 49% system-wide correctional officer vacancy rate, with up to 69% at worst facilities, as of January 2026. The state had 9,682 positions needed and only 4,979 filled. Value: 49 percent vacancy (vs. 69 percent vacancy at worst facilities) Date: 2026-01-01 Tags: North Carolina, vacancy, staffing Sources: North Carolina Department of Adult Correction (Jan 2026); NC Newsline / NC Health News Reporting on North Carolina CO Vacancies; North Carolina Department of Adult Correction Staffing Data (January 2026) - [confirmed] North Carolina had 9,682 CO positions needed, only 4,979 filled North Carolina Department of Adult Correction reported 9,682 correctional officer positions needed and only 4,979 filled as of January 2026. Value: 4979 filled positions (vs. 9682 positions needed) Date: 2026-01-01 Tags: North Carolina, staffing, positions Sources: North Carolina Department of Adult Correction (Jan 2026); North Carolina Department of Adult Correction Staffing Data (January 2026) - [confirmed] New York CO vacancy rate: 27.4% system-wide, up to 66.6% at worst facilities New York had a 27.4% system-wide correctional officer vacancy rate, with up to 66.6% at worst facilities, as of April 2025. Vacancy rates had doubled. Value: 27.4 percent vacancy (vs. 66.6 percent vacancy at worst facilities) Date: 2025-04-01 Tags: New York, vacancy, staffing Sources: Correctional Association of New York Dashboard Update (December 2025) - [estimated] Michigan CO vacancy rate: ~17% system-wide, ~33% at worst facilities Michigan had approximately 17% system-wide correctional officer vacancy rate, with approximately 33% at worst facilities in 2024. Value: 17 percent vacancy (approx) (vs. 33 percent vacancy at worst facilities (approx)) Date: 2024-12-31 Tags: Michigan, vacancy, staffing - [confirmed] Southeastern states all exceeded 35% CO turnover rate A review by the Alabama Commission on the Evaluation of Services found that recent turnover rates in Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, and South Carolina all exceeded 35%, with some instances reported above 100%. Value: 35 percent minimum turnover (vs. 100 percent turnover in some instances) Date: 2024-12-01 Tags: turnover, southeastern states, Alabama Commission Sources: Alabama Commission on the Evaluation of Services: Correctional Officer Recruitment & Retention Efforts - [confirmed] Georgia CO turnover peaked at 47% in FY2022, projected 32% by mid-2024 Georgia's correctional officer turnover rate peaked at 47% in fiscal year 2022 before declining to a projected 32% by mid-2024, still extraordinarily high. Value: 47 percent turnover (FY2022 peak) (vs. 32 percent projected by mid-2024) Date: 2024-06-30 Tags: Georgia, turnover, GDC Sources: Georgia Department of Corrections Staffing and Salary Data - [confirmed] 38% of correctional staff nationally leave within first year The Carey Group (2023) found that 38% of correctional staff nationally leave within their first year, and nearly 50% leave within five years. Value: 38 percent first-year departure rate (vs. 50 percent leaving within five years) Date: 2023-12-31 Tags: turnover, first-year attrition, national, Carey Group Sources: The Carey Group: Reducing Corrections Staff Turnover Through Evidence-based Strategies - [confirmed] North Carolina hired 1,530 COs in 2025 but ended with 38 fewer filled positions North Carolina records 1,530 new correctional officer hires in 2025 but ended the year with 38 fewer filled positions than the year before, illustrating the futility of recruitment alone. Value: 1530 new hires (vs. -38 net change in filled positions) Date: 2025-12-31 Tags: North Carolina, hiring, net loss, recruitment failure - [confirmed] BLS projects 7% decline in CO employment from 2024 to 2034 The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects overall employment of correctional officers and bailiffs will decline 7% from 2024 to 2034. Despite this decline, approximately 31,900 openings are projected each year, entirely from replacement needs. Value: -7 percent employment change (vs. 31900 annual openings from replacement) Date: 2034-12-31 Tags: BLS, employment projections, workforce decline Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook: Correctional Officers and Bailiffs - [confirmed] North Carolina prison staff logged 1.6 million hours of overtime in 2023 In North Carolina, prison staff logged 1.6 million hours of overtime in 2023 alone. Some facilities reported officers working multiple 18-hour shifts in a row. Value: 1600000 overtime hours Date: 2023-12-31 Tags: North Carolina, overtime, burnout Sources: NC Newsline / NC Health News Reporting on North Carolina CO Vacancies; North Carolina Department of Adult Correction Staffing Data (January 2026) - [confirmed] 85% of prison guards have seen someone seriously injured or killed at work According to the Vera Institute, 85% of prison guards report having seen someone seriously injured or killed at work. Value: 85 percent of prison guards Date: 2023-10-01 Tags: trauma, violence, Vera Institute, working conditions Sources: Vera Institute of Justice: Prisons and Jails are Violent; They Don't Have to Be - [confirmed] CO nonfatal workplace injury rate: 244 per 10,000 full-time workers Nonfatal workplace injuries among correctional officers occur at a rate of 244 per 10,000 full-time workers — one of the highest of any profession. Value: 244 injuries per 10,000 full-time workers Tags: injuries, workplace safety, correctional officers - [confirmed] CO life expectancy approximately 59 years vs. 75+ national average Correctional officers have a documented life expectancy of approximately 59 years, compared to the national average of 75+ years. Value: 59 years life expectancy (vs. 75 national average life expectancy) Tags: life expectancy, correctional officers, health - [confirmed] CO depression rate approximately 26% vs. 9-10% general population Depression rates among correctional officers run approximately 26%, compared to 9–10% in the general population. Value: 26 percent depression rate (vs. 9-10 percent in general population) Tags: mental health, depression, correctional officers - [confirmed] CO suicide rate 39% higher than general working-age population The suicide rate among correctional officers is 39% higher than the general working-age population. Value: 39 percent higher than general working-age population Tags: suicide, correctional officers, mental health - [confirmed] Alabama individual CO turnover cost: $55,176 (FY2019) to $78,402 (FY2023) Alabama's detailed cost analysis showed individual correctional officer turnover cost rose from $55,176 in FY2019 to $78,402 in FY2023, with a weighted average of $64,635 per officer. Value: 78402 dollars per officer turnover (FY2023) (vs. 55176 dollars per officer turnover (FY2019)) Date: 2023-09-30 Tags: Alabama, turnover cost, replacement cost Sources: Alabama Commission on the Evaluation of Services: Correctional Officer Recruitment & Retention Efforts - [confirmed] Alabama total annual CO turnover cost exceeded $11 million Alabama's total annual correctional officer turnover cost exceeded $11,000,000 per year as of FY2023. Value: 11000000 dollars per year Date: 2023-09-30 Tags: Alabama, turnover cost, total annual - [estimated] Industry per-officer training costs: $20,000-$50,000 per recruit Industry estimates place per-officer training costs at $20,000–$50,000 per recruit for academy training and on-the-job learning alone, before accounting for lost productivity or recruitment overhead. Value: 20000-50000 dollars per recruit Tags: training cost, recruitment, national - [confirmed] West Virginia: 3 facilities spent over $13 million in overtime in a single year Three correctional facilities in West Virginia alone spent over $13 million in overtime in a single year (2016). Value: 13000000 dollars in overtime Date: 2016-12-31 Tags: West Virginia, overtime, spending - [confirmed] Corrections spending up 27% nationally (2017-2025) despite 15% population decline Corrections spending nationally increased 27% from 2017 to 2025 despite prison populations shrinking by 15% in the same period, driven largely by overtime and emergency pay increases. Value: 27 percent spending increase (vs. -15 percent prison population change) Date: 2025-12-31 Tags: spending, national, decarceration, Prison Policy Initiative Sources: Prison Policy Initiative: Following the Money 2026 - [confirmed] Burned-out officers in Ohio worked 80-hour workweeks with no ongoing training The BLS estimates that burned-out officers in Ohio worked 80-hour workweeks with no ongoing training, leading to dangerous inability to 'make proper decisions.' Value: 80 hours per workweek Tags: Ohio, overtime, burnout, training Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook: Correctional Officers and Bailiffs - [confirmed] Federal IG: understaffing was a factor in ~30 of 344 deaths in federal prisons The DOJ Inspector General found understaffing was a factor in roughly 30 of 344 deaths examined in federal prisons alone. Value: 30 deaths with understaffing as factor (vs. 344 total deaths examined) Date: 2024-02-01 Tags: federal prisons, Inspector General, deaths, understaffing Sources: DOJ Inspector General Review of Federal Inmate Deaths (February 2024); Atlanta Journal-Constitution Investigations on Georgia Prison Conditions - [confirmed] Georgia prison homicides 2023: 37-38 Georgia prison homicides numbered 37-38 in 2023, when the CO vacancy rate was approximately 45-50%. Value: 37-38 prison homicides (vs. 45-50 percent CO vacancy rate) Date: 2023-12-31 Tags: Georgia, homicides, vacancy rate, violence Sources: Atlanta Journal-Constitution Investigations on Georgia Prison Conditions - [confirmed] Smith State Prison: 7 homicides in 2024 — most of any GDC facility At Smith State Prison, seven prisoners were victims of homicides in 2024 alone — the most of any GDC facility — at a prison already reeling from a contraband scandal that ensnared its former warden. Value: 7 homicides Date: 2024-12-31 Tags: Smith State Prison, homicides, Georgia, violence Sources: Atlanta Journal-Constitution Investigations on Georgia Prison Conditions - [confirmed] Florida starting CO salary: ~$46,000-$48,000 (after increases from $33K in 2019) Florida's starting correctional officer salary is approximately $46,000–$48,000 after recent increases; it was $33,000 in 2019. Value: 46000-48000 dollars starting salary (vs. 33000 2019 starting salary) Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: Florida, salary, compensation, pay increase - [confirmed] Alabama starting CO salary: ~$44,000-$46,000 (after 10% increase in 2022) Alabama's starting correctional officer salary is approximately $44,000–$46,000 after a 10% increase in 2022. Value: 44000-46000 dollars starting salary Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: Alabama, salary, compensation - [confirmed] South Carolina starting CO salary: ~$43,000-$45,000 South Carolina's starting correctional officer salary is approximately $43,000–$45,000 after recent adjustments. Value: 43000-45000 dollars starting salary Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: South Carolina, salary, compensation Sources: Georgia Department of Corrections Staffing and Salary Data - [confirmed] Tennessee starting CO salary: ~$42,000-$44,000 Tennessee's starting correctional officer salary is approximately $42,000–$44,000 after recruitment bonuses. Value: 42000-44000 dollars starting salary Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: Tennessee, salary, compensation - [confirmed] North Carolina starting CO salary: $36,000-$40,000 North Carolina's starting correctional officer salary is $36,000–$40,000, lower than Georgia's, and the state has a 49% vacancy rate. Value: 36000-40000 dollars starting salary Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: North Carolina, salary, compensation Sources: NC Newsline / NC Health News Reporting on North Carolina CO Vacancies; Georgia Department of Corrections Staffing and Salary Data; North Carolina Department of Adult Correction Staffing Data (January 2026) - [confirmed] Virginia starting CO salary: ~$47,000 plus $6,000 signing bonus Virginia's starting correctional officer salary is approximately $47,000 plus a $6,000 signing bonus. Value: 47000 dollars starting salary (vs. 6000 signing bonus) Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: Virginia, salary, compensation, signing bonus - [confirmed] Mississippi starting CO salary: ~$37,000-$40,000 Mississippi's starting correctional officer salary is approximately $37,000–$40,000 after a 10% increase in 2022. Value: 37000-40000 dollars starting salary Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: Mississippi, salary, compensation Sources: Georgia Department of Corrections Staffing and Salary Data - [confirmed] ZipRecruiter: Georgia CO average salary $45,603 vs. $54,007 national average ZipRecruiter (December 2025) reported Georgia's average correctional officer salary at $45,603, compared to a national average of $54,007 — a gap of $8,404. Georgia ranked #50 out of 50 states. Value: 45603 dollars average salary (vs. 54007 national average salary) Date: 2025-12-01 Tags: Georgia, salary, ZipRecruiter, ranking, compensation - [confirmed] Salary.com: Georgia CO average salary $50,549 Salary.com (January 2026) reported Georgia's average correctional officer salary at $50,549, placing it in the bottom third nationally. Value: 50549 dollars average salary Date: 2026-01-01 Tags: Georgia, salary, Salary.com, compensation Sources: Salary.com Correctional Officer Salary Data (January 2026) - [confirmed] GDC staff declined from 8,158 FTE in FY2020 to 6,169 in FY2022 (-24%) GDC staff fell from 8,158 full-time equivalents in FY 2020 to 6,169 by FY 2022 — a loss of nearly 2,000 positions (approximately 24% decline). Value: 6169 full-time equivalent staff (FY2022) (vs. 8158 FTE in FY2020) Date: 2022-06-30 Tags: Georgia, GDC, staffing decline, FTE Sources: Georgia Department of Corrections Staffing and Salary Data - [confirmed] GDC applications doubled from ~300/month to 700+/month GDC applications for correctional officer positions have doubled from approximately 300 per month to 700+ per month, but the agency could only hire 118 officers for every 800 applicants in a recent six-month period — an acceptance rate of less than 15%. Value: 700 applications per month (vs. 300 previous applications per month) Date: 2024-12-31 Tags: Georgia, GDC, recruitment, applications, hiring rate Sources: Guidehouse Inc. / The Moss Group / Carter Goble Lee Consultants' Report on Georgia Prison Conditions - [confirmed] Georgia incarcerates approximately 51,000 people across 34 state prisons Georgia incarcerates approximately 51,000 people across 34 state prisons. Value: 51000 incarcerated people (vs. 34 state prisons) Date: 2024-12-31 Tags: Georgia, incarceration rate, prison population - [confirmed] Georgia has 5,991 authorized CO positions Georgia has 5,991 budgeted/authorized correctional officer positions, even if all were filled the officer-to-prisoner ratio would remain strained for 51,000 prisoners. Value: 5991 authorized CO positions Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: Georgia, GDC, authorized positions - [estimated] Nearly 10,000 people serving life sentences in Georgia Nearly 10,000 people are serving life sentences in Georgia. Value: 10000 people serving life sentences (approx) Tags: Georgia, life sentences, sentencing, decarceration - [confirmed] Total national CO/Jailer jobs: 387,500 The total number of correctional officer and jailer jobs nationally is 387,500 according to the BLS in 2024. Value: 387500 jobs Date: 2024-12-31 Tags: national, BLS, workforce, jobs Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (SOC 33-3012) - [confirmed] Total criminal justice spending: $445 billion Total criminal justice spending nationally reached $445 billion according to the Prison Policy Initiative's Following the Money 2026 report. Value: 445 billion dollars Date: 2026-02-01 Tags: national, spending, criminal justice, Prison Policy Initiative Sources: Prison Policy Initiative: Following the Money 2026 - [estimated] Total Georgia prison deaths in 2024: approximately 330 GPS tracking estimates approximately 330 total prison deaths in Georgia in 2024. Value: 330 total prison deaths (approx) Date: 2024-12-31 Tags: Georgia, deaths, mortality, GPS tracking Sources: Georgia Prisoners' Speak Death Tracking Data - [confirmed] GDC had 2,985 vacant CO positions as of January 2024 The Georgia Department of Corrections had 2,985 vacant correctional officer positions out of 5,991 budgeted positions as of January 2024. Value: 2985 vacant CO positions (vs. 5991 budgeted positions) Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: Georgia, GDC, vacancies Sources: Georgia Department of Corrections Staffing and Salary Data - [confirmed] 8 of 34 Georgia facilities had 70%+ vacancy rates Eight of 34 Georgia state prisons had correctional officer vacancy rates above 70%, according to Guidehouse consultants in October 2024. Value: 8 facilities with 70%+ vacancy (vs. 34 total state prisons) Date: 2024-10-01 Tags: Georgia, Guidehouse, vacancy, facilities Sources: Guidehouse Inc. / The Moss Group / Carter Goble Lee Consultants' Report on Georgia Prison Conditions - [confirmed] Correctional populations shrank 15% while spending rose 27% (2017-2025) Correctional populations shrank by 15% from 2017 to 2025 while corrections spending increased 27% in the same period, illustrating the unsustainability of current approaches. Value: -15 percent population change (vs. 27 percent spending increase) Date: 2025-12-31 Tags: national, spending, population, paradox, efficiency - [confirmed] GDC acceptance rate for CO applicants: less than 15% The GDC could only hire 118 officers for every 800 applicants in a recent six-month period — an acceptance rate of less than 15%. Most applicants cannot pass hiring requirements. Value: 15 percent acceptance rate (less than) (vs. 118 hires per 800 applicants) Date: 2024-12-31 Tags: Georgia, GDC, hiring, applicant quality, acceptance rate Sources: Guidehouse Inc. / The Moss Group / Carter Goble Lee Consultants' Report on Georgia Prison Conditions - [confirmed] New York CO vacancy rates doubled to 27.4% According to the Correctional Association of New York's December 2025 dashboard update, New York's correctional officer vacancy rates doubled to 27.4%. Value: 27.4 percent vacancy (doubled) Date: 2025-12-01 Tags: New York, vacancy, doubling, trend LEGAL FACTS (4) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] DOJ found Georgia prisons violate Eighth Amendment The U.S. Department of Justice found that Georgia's prisons violate the Eighth Amendment prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. Date: 2024-10-01 Tags: DOJ, Eighth Amendment, Georgia, constitutional violation Sources: U.S. Department of Justice Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [confirmed] Georgia Truth in Sentencing requires 65-100% of sentence served Georgia's Truth in Sentencing laws require 65–100% of sentences to be served, limiting early release options. Tags: Georgia, Truth in Sentencing, sentencing, incarceration rate - [confirmed] Georgia Truth in Sentencing laws require 65-100% of sentences to be served Georgia's Truth in Sentencing laws require 65–100% of sentences to be served, contributing to the high incarcerated population. Tags: Georgia, Truth in Sentencing, sentencing reform, policy - [confirmed] DOJ investigation findings date: October 2024 The U.S. Department of Justice issued its investigation findings that Georgia prisons violate the Eighth Amendment in October 2024. Date: 2024-10-01 Tags: DOJ, Eighth Amendment, Georgia, investigation Sources: U.S. Department of Justice Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) POLICYS (15) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] Governor Kemp proposed $600 million emergency spending Governor Kemp proposed $600 million in emergency spending over 18 months for Georgia prison reform, including a 4% salary increase for correctional officers. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: Georgia, Governor Kemp, spending, reform, policy Sources: Governor Brian Kemp $600 Million Prison Reform Proposal (January 2025) - [confirmed] National standard for maximum CO vacancy is 10% National standards hold that a correctional facility should operate with no more than 10% of officer positions vacant — a standard virtually no state meets. Tags: standards, vacancy, national - [confirmed] Georgia FY2022: 10% pay raise for COs Georgia implemented a 10% pay raise for correctional officers in fiscal year 2022. Date: 2022-07-01 Tags: Georgia, pay raise, policy, compensation - [confirmed] Georgia FY2023: $5,000 bonuses for COs Georgia offered $5,000 bonuses for correctional officers in fiscal year 2023. Date: 2023-07-01 Tags: Georgia, bonuses, policy, compensation - [confirmed] Georgia FY2024-2025: 4% raise plus $3,000 increase Georgia implemented a 4% raise plus $3,000 increase for correctional officers in fiscal years 2024-2025. Date: 2024-07-01 Tags: Georgia, pay raise, policy, compensation - [reported] Nevada contemplated drones and monitoring shackles Nevada contemplated drones and monitoring shackles to substitute for correctional officers as a desperate measure to address understaffing. Tags: Nevada, drones, technology, desperate measures Sources: Atlanta Journal-Constitution Investigations on Georgia Prison Conditions - [reported] Arizona eliminated reference checks to speed hiring Arizona eliminated reference checks to speed up correctional officer hiring as a desperate measure to address understaffing. Tags: Arizona, hiring standards, desperate measures Sources: Atlanta Journal-Constitution Investigations on Georgia Prison Conditions - [confirmed] Florida lowered minimum CO age from 19 to 18 Florida lowered the minimum correctional officer age from 19 to 18 as a desperate measure to address understaffing. Tags: Florida, age requirement, hiring standards Sources: Atlanta Journal-Constitution Investigations on Georgia Prison Conditions - [reported] Michigan allowed COs to complete college credit after hiring Michigan allowed correctional officers to complete college credit requirements after being hired rather than before as a measure to speed recruitment. Tags: Michigan, education requirements, hiring standards - [reported] New York created lower-classification security guard positions New York created lower-classification security guard positions that bypass full academy training as a measure to address understaffing. Tags: New York, training standards, hiring Sources: Atlanta Journal-Constitution Investigations on Georgia Prison Conditions - [confirmed] National standard: no more than 10% of CO positions should be vacant National standards hold that a correctional facility should operate with no more than 10% of officer positions vacant — a standard virtually no state meets. Tags: standards, vacancy, national, policy - [confirmed] Florida lowered minimum CO age from 19 to 18 Florida lowered the minimum correctional officer age from 19 to 18 as a desperate measure to address staffing shortages. Tags: Florida, hiring standards, age requirement, desperate measures - [confirmed] Michigan allowed COs to complete college credits after hiring rather than before Michigan allowed correctional officers to complete college credit requirements after being hired rather than before as a measure to speed recruitment. Tags: Michigan, hiring standards, education requirements - [confirmed] New York created lower-classification security guard positions bypassing full academy training New York created lower-classification security guard positions that bypass full academy training as a measure to address staffing shortages. Tags: New York, hiring standards, classification, training - [confirmed] Decarceration policy recommendations Researchers, advocates, and some corrections professionals recommend reducing incarceration through: expanded parole eligibility, sentencing reform and alternatives to incarceration, elimination of cash bail, review of life and long-term sentences, and investment in community-based supervision. Tags: decarceration, policy recommendations, parole, sentencing reform, cash bail METHODOLOGY NOTES (3) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] Safe Inside report based on 12 state prison systems The Safe Inside report was based on data from 12 state prison systems and represents the most comprehensive analysis of the staffing-violence nexus to date. Date: 2026-02-01 Tags: Safe Inside, methodology, national study Sources: Safe Inside Initiative Report (February 2026) - [confirmed] Safe Inside report based on data from 12 state prison systems The Safe Inside report (February 2026), representing the most comprehensive analysis to date of the staffing-violence nexus, was based on data from 12 state prison systems. Date: 2026-02-01 Tags: Safe Inside, methodology, data Sources: Safe Inside Initiative (Feb 2026); Safe Inside Initiative Report (February 2026) - [confirmed] Guidehouse consultants obtained via Georgia Open Records Act The Guidehouse Inc. / The Moss Group / Carter Goble Lee consultants' report on Georgia prison conditions was obtained via the Georgia Open Records Act. Tags: Guidehouse, Open Records Act, transparency, methodology Sources: Guidehouse Inc. / The Moss Group / Carter Goble Lee Consultants' Report on Georgia Prison Conditions DATA GAPS (2) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] Researchers lacked data to prove direct staffing-death causation Safe Inside researchers concluded that understaffing and high turnover 'likely contribute' to the increase in deaths, but noted they lacked sufficient data across all states to prove direct causation — largely because most state prison systems do not report adequate information on deaths in custody. Date: 2026-02-01 Tags: data gap, deaths in custody, reporting, causation Sources: Atlanta Journal-Constitution Investigations on Georgia Prison Conditions - [confirmed] Safe Inside: staffing and turnover 'likely contribute' to deaths but causation data insufficient The Safe Inside report concluded that understaffing and high turnover 'likely contribute' to the increase in deaths, but researchers noted they lacked sufficient data across all states to prove direct causation — largely because most state prison systems do not report adequate information on deaths in custody. Date: 2026-02-01 Tags: Safe Inside, data gap, deaths in custody, causation Sources: Safe Inside Initiative (Feb 2026); Atlanta Journal-Constitution Investigations on Georgia Prison Conditions CASE DETAILS (9) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] Marquis Jefferson killed at Washington State Prison — no guards watching Marquis Jefferson was killed at Washington State Prison in May 2022 in an attack involving multiple inmates. His brother obtained documents showing the prison was so understaffed that no one was watching the dorm when he was attacked. No one noticed until other inmates carried his body to the door. Date: 2022-05-01 Tags: Georgia, homicide, Washington State Prison, understaffing, Marquis Jefferson - [confirmed] Anthony Zino dead five days before discovery at Smith State Prison Anthony Zino was found dead in his cell at Smith State Prison in April 2024. He had been dead for five days before anyone noticed. Cause of death: asphyxia due to neck compression. The GDC claimed 'understaffing did not play a role' and refused to release investigative documents, labeling them 'confidential state secrets.' Date: 2024-04-01 Tags: Georgia, death, Smith State Prison, Anthony Zino, decomposition, transparency Sources: Atlanta Journal-Constitution Investigations on Georgia Prison Conditions - [confirmed] Angel Manuel Ortiz killed days before parole at Calhoun State Prison Angel Manuel Ortiz was days away from being paroled from Calhoun State Prison in 2019 when he was placed in a holding cell with a violent inmate who had already threatened to kill anyone placed in a cell with him. Ortiz was mortally wounded. Staffing shortages prevented the kind of segregation decisions that could have saved his life. Date: 2019-01-01 Tags: Georgia, homicide, Calhoun State Prison, Angel Manuel Ortiz, classification failure - [confirmed] Mall opening caused COs and counselors to leave for retail A University of Georgia MPA study documented a case where a new shopping mall opened near a Georgia prison, and correctional officers and counselors left to work retail at comparable wages with far less stress and danger. Tags: Georgia, retail competition, labor market, UGA Sources: University of Georgia MPA Program: Strategies to Improve Training and Retention of Correctional Officers - [confirmed] Smith State Prison former warden ensnared in contraband scandal Smith State Prison was already reeling from a contraband scandal that ensnared its former warden when seven prisoners were killed there in 2024. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: Georgia, Smith State Prison, contraband, corruption, warden Sources: Atlanta Journal-Constitution Investigations on Georgia Prison Conditions - [confirmed] Anthony Zino cause of death: asphyxia due to neck compression Anthony Zino, found dead in his cell at Smith State Prison in April 2024 after being dead for five days, had a cause of death of asphyxia due to neck compression. Date: 2024-04-01 Tags: Anthony Zino, Smith State Prison, homicide, cause of death Sources: Atlanta Journal-Constitution Investigations on Georgia Prison Conditions - [confirmed] Angel Manuel Ortiz killed at Calhoun State Prison in 2019, days from parole Angel Manuel Ortiz was days away from being paroled from Calhoun State Prison in 2019 when he was placed in a holding cell with a violent inmate who had already threatened to kill anyone placed in a cell with him. Ortiz was mortally wounded. Staffing shortages prevented the kind of segregation decisions that could have saved his life. Date: 2019-01-01 Tags: Angel Manuel Ortiz, Calhoun State Prison, homicide, segregation failure - [confirmed] Marquis Jefferson's brother obtained documents showing prison was unstaffed during attack Marquis Jefferson was killed at Washington State Prison in May 2022 in an attack involving multiple inmates. His brother obtained documents showing the prison was so understaffed that no one was watching the dorm when he was attacked. No one noticed until other inmates carried his body to the door. Date: 2022-05-01 Tags: Marquis Jefferson, Washington State Prison, homicide, understaffing, documentation - [confirmed] Smith State Prison contraband scandal ensnared former warden Smith State Prison was already reeling from a contraband scandal that ensnared its former warden prior to recording 7 homicides in 2024. Date: 2024-12-31 Tags: Smith State Prison, contraband, warden, scandal, corruption Sources: Atlanta Journal-Constitution Investigations on Georgia Prison Conditions QUOTES (8) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] Commissioner Oliver: hiring 2,600 people in a fiscal year 'just not possible' GDC Commissioner Oliver told legislators that 'trying to hire 2,600 people in a fiscal year is just — it's just not possible.' Tags: Georgia, Commissioner Oliver, hiring, legislative testimony Sources: Georgia Department of Corrections Staffing and Salary Data - [reported] Former Georgia CO quote: 'too brutal, too disgusting' A former Georgia correctional officer at Smith State Prison described the working conditions: 'We just had no energy, we didn't have the ability to care. The place was too brutal, too disgusting.' Tags: Georgia, Smith State Prison, burnout, working conditions, quote Sources: Atlanta Journal-Constitution Investigations on Georgia Prison Conditions - [reported] North Carolina CO vacancy quote: 'no more pay than fast food' A North Carolina advocate stated: 'The idea that you would risk your safety in that way for no more pay than you could get working in a fast food restaurant is simply not adding up.' Tags: North Carolina, compensation, fast food, quote Sources: NC Newsline / NC Health News Reporting on North Carolina CO Vacancies - [reported] Marquis Jefferson brother quote: 'no guards anywhere to be seen' Regarding Marquis Jefferson's killing at Washington State Prison: 'You see a flood of people going in and beating him. There were no guards anywhere to be seen.' Date: 2022-05-01 Tags: Georgia, Marquis Jefferson, Washington State Prison, quote - [reported] Lockdowns described as 'ticking time bomb' Research shows that understaffed prisons resorting to continuous lockdowns (23+ hours/day confinement) 'drive mental health issues through the roof, assaults through the roof. It's like a ticking time bomb.' Tags: lockdowns, mental health, violence, confinement - [confirmed] Commissioner Oliver: 'Trying to hire 2,600 people in a fiscal year is just not possible' GDC Commissioner Oliver told legislators that 'trying to hire 2,600 people in a fiscal year is just — it's just not possible.' Tags: Georgia, GDC, Commissioner Oliver, hiring, legislative testimony Sources: Georgia Department of Corrections Staffing and Salary Data - [confirmed] Prison Policy Initiative: understaffing is an 'untreatable symptom of mass incarceration' The Prison Policy Initiative has argued that chronic understaffing is 'an untreatable symptom of mass incarceration — not a recruitment problem.' Date: 2024-12-01 Tags: Prison Policy Initiative, mass incarceration, decarceration, policy Sources: Prison Policy Initiative Staff Decline Analysis (2020–2023); Atlanta Journal-Constitution Investigations on Georgia Prison Conditions - [confirmed] North Carolina advocate quote on pay vs. fast food A North Carolina advocate stated: 'The idea that you would risk your safety in that way for no more pay than you could get working in a fast food restaurant is simply not adding up.' Tags: North Carolina, compensation, recruitment, quote Sources: NC Newsline / NC Health News Reporting on North Carolina CO Vacancies TRENDS (1) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] Georgia vacancy rates remain above 50% despite pay increases Despite successive emergency pay measures from FY2022-FY2025, vacancy rates at most Georgia prison facilities remain above 50%. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: Georgia, vacancy, pay increases, ineffective DATASETS (9) ---------------------------------------- # State Correctional Officer Vacancy Rates Comparison of correctional officer vacancy rates across states with the worst staffing shortages State System-wide Vacancy Rate Worst Facility Vacancy Rate Year Notes -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Georgia 52.5% 70%+ at 8 facilities 2024 80% at Valdosta SP North Carolina 49% 69% Jan 2026 9,682 needed, 4,979 filled New York 27.4% 66.6% Apr 2025 Vacancy rates doubled Michigan ~17% ~33% 2024 Florida Severe 2023-2024 National Guard deployed West Virginia Severe 2023 National Guard deployed New Hampshire Severe 2023 National Guard deployed # Safe Inside Report: Violence and Death Metrics (2019-2024) Key metrics from the Safe Inside initiative report showing the increase in prison violence and death from 2019 to 2024 across 12 state systems Metric 2019 Value 2024 Value Change -------------------------------------------------------------- Assaults on inmates Baseline — +54% Assaults on staff Baseline — +77% Prison death rate (per 100K) 2.8 4.1 +47% State overtime spending ~$1.1B $2.0B+ +80% # Alabama Correctional Officer Turnover Cost Analysis Per-officer and total annual turnover costs calculated by the Alabama Commission on the Evaluation of Services Fiscal Year Individual CO Turnover Cost Total Annual CO Turnover Cost ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ FY 2019 $55,176 — FY 2023 $78,402 $11,000,000+ Weighted Average (FY19–23) $64,635 $11,000,000+/year # Southeastern State CO Starting Salary Comparison Starting salaries for correctional officers across southeastern states as of 2024-2025 State Starting Salary Notes ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Georgia (GDC) $40,000–$43,000 $40K min-security; $43K max-security Florida ~$46,000–$48,000 After recent increases; was $33K in 2019 Alabama ~$44,000–$46,000 After 10% increase in 2022 South Carolina ~$43,000–$45,000 After recent adjustments Tennessee ~$42,000–$44,000 After recruitment bonuses North Carolina $36,000–$40,000 Lower than GA; 49% vacancy Virginia ~$47,000 Plus $6,000 signing bonus Mississippi ~$37,000–$40,000 After 10% increase in 2022 # Georgia CO Salary vs. National Averages by Data Source Comparison of Georgia correctional officer compensation against national figures from different data sources Data Source Georgia Avg/Median National Avg/Median GA Rank ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ZipRecruiter (Dec 2025) $45,603 $54,007 #50 of 50 states BLS (May 2024) — $57,970 — Salary.com (Jan 2026) $50,549 — Bottom third # Georgia Prison Emergency Pay Measures Timeline Successive emergency pay and spending measures implemented by Georgia to address correctional officer staffing Fiscal Year Action -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FY 2022 10% pay raise FY 2023 $5,000 bonuses FY 2024–2025 4% raise + $3,000 increase Jan 2025 Governor proposes $600M over 18 months, including 4% salary increase # Georgia Prison Homicides vs. CO Vacancy Rate Correlation between prison homicide counts and correctional officer vacancy rates in Georgia Year Prison Homicides CO Vacancy Rate ------------------------------------------------ 2017–2018 8–9/year ~20–30% 2023 37–38 ~45–50% 2024 66 52.5% # National Correctional Officer Workforce Summary Metrics Key national metrics about the correctional officer workforce from various sources Metric Value Source -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total CO/Jailer jobs nationally 387,500 BLS 2024 National median annual salary $57,970 BLS May 2024 Projected annual openings 31,900/year BLS through 2034 Projected employment change -7% (decline) BLS 2024–2034 Workforce decline since 2019 -10% (state systems) Census Bureau/Marshall Project Staff lost 2020–2023 64,000+ Prison Policy Initiative States losing 10%+ employees (2019–2023) 25 states Marshall Project National overtime cost (2024) $2 billion+ Safe Inside PTSD rate among COs 34% Multiple studies CO life expectancy ~59 years National 2024 study CO suicide risk vs. general population +39% Research consensus First-year departure rate 38% nationally The Carey Group # Georgia Department of Corrections Staffing Summary Key GDC staffing metrics compiled from multiple sources Metric Value Source/Date ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Budgeted CO positions 5,991 GDC (Jan 2024) Vacant CO positions 2,985 GDC (Jan 2024) System-wide vacancy rate 52.5% GDC/GPS (2024) Facilities with 50%+ vacancy 20 of 34 Guidehouse (2024) Facilities with 70%+ vacancy 8 of 34 Guidehouse (Oct 2024) Valdosta SP vacancy rate 80% AJC (Apr 2024) First-year attrition (2021–2024) 82.7% Guidehouse Peak turnover rate 47% GDC (FY 2022) Hire rate from applicants 118 per 800 (~15%) Guidehouse Starting salary (min-security) $40,000 GDC Starting salary (max-security) $43,000 GDC Prison homicides (2024) 66 GDC confirmed Total prison deaths (2024) ~330 GPS tracking Proposed emergency spending $600 million Gov. Kemp (Jan 2025) GDC staff decline (FY2020→FY2022) 8,158 → 6,169 (-24%) State records KEY ENTITIES (29) ---------------------------------------- - Alabama Commission on the Evaluation of Services [organization]: Alabama state body that produced detailed per-officer turnover cost analysis (December 2024), finding $64,635 weighted average per-officer cost and $11M+ annual turnover costs. Also reviewed southeastern state turnover rates. - American Correctional Association [organization]: Professional organization that conducted workforce study (2024) identifying noncompetitive compensation as the top recruiting difficulty factor. (aka: ACA) - Angel Manuel Ortiz [person]: Days from parole at Calhoun State Prison in 2019, placed in a holding cell with a violent inmate who had threatened to kill anyone placed with him. Mortally wounded. Staffing shortages prevented proper segregation. - Anthony Zino [person]: Found dead in his cell at Smith State Prison in April 2024, having been dead for five days before discovery. Cause of death: asphyxia due to neck compression. GDC refused to release investigative documents. - Atlanta Journal-Constitution [organization]: Georgia newspaper that conducted investigations documenting Georgia prison homicides, understaffing, decomposed body at Smith State Prison, and Valdosta SP vacancy rates. (aka: AJC) - Brian Kemp [person]: Governor of Georgia who proposed $600 million in emergency spending over 18 months for prison reform in January 2025. (aka: Governor Kemp) - Carter Goble Lee [organization]: Consulting firm that worked alongside Guidehouse Inc. and The Moss Group on the Georgia prison conditions report. - Commissioner Oliver [person]: Georgia Department of Corrections Commissioner who testified to legislators about salary increases and stated that 'trying to hire 2,600 people in a fiscal year is just not possible.' - Correctional Association of New York [organization]: Organization that published December 2025 dashboard update showing New York CO vacancy rates doubled to 27.4%, with up to 66.6% at worst facilities. - DOJ Inspector General [organization]: Federal oversight body that reviewed 344 federal inmate deaths (Feb 2024) and identified understaffing as a factor in roughly 30 of them. (aka: Federal Inspector General, OIG) - George Washington University Policy Perspectives [organization]: Academic publication that published 'Solutions to a National Problem: Correctional Officer Turnover in the U.S.' (2019). - Georgia Department of Corrections [organization]: Georgia's state prison system operating 34 state prisons housing approximately 51,000 people. Experienced 52.5% CO vacancy rate and 66 prison homicides in 2024. Claimed understaffing played no role in specific deaths and refused to release investigative documents. (aka: GDC) - Georgia Prisoners' Speak [organization]: Journalism organization that compiled this research, tracks approximately 330 total Georgia prison deaths in 2024, and conducts investigative reporting on prison conditions. (aka: GPS) - Georgia Truth in Sentencing Laws [legislation]: Georgia state laws requiring 65–100% of sentences to be served, contributing to the high incarcerated population of approximately 51,000. (aka: Truth in Sentencing) - Guidehouse Inc. [organization]: Consulting firm hired by Georgia to assess prison conditions. Along with The Moss Group and Carter Goble Lee, produced report (2024-2025) finding the system in 'emergency mode with no quick fix possible.' Report obtained via Georgia Open Records Act. (aka: Guidehouse, Guidehouse / The Moss Group / Carter Goble Lee) - Marquis Jefferson [person]: Killed at Washington State Prison in May 2022 in an attack involving multiple inmates while no guards watched his dorm due to understaffing. His brother obtained documents proving the staffing failure. - National Institute of Justice [organization]: Federal research agency reporting correctional officer vacancy rates approaching 50% and turnover rates as high as 55% in some state systems. (aka: NIJ) - North Carolina Department of Adult Correction [organization]: North Carolina's corrections agency reporting 9,682 positions needed and 4,979 filled (49% vacancy rate) as of January 2026. - Prison Legal News [organization]: Publication that reported 'Help Wanted: 31,000 Prison Guard Jobs Open Nationwide' (Sept 2025). - Prison Policy Initiative [organization]: Research organization that documented loss of 64,000+ corrections staff (2020-2023), published 'Following the Money 2026' report ($445B total criminal justice spending), and argued understaffing is 'an untreatable symptom of mass incarceration.' (aka: PPI) - Safe Inside Initiative [program]: DOJ-funded evaluation program that produced a February 2026 report analyzing state prison violence and staffing across 12 state systems. Found 47% increase in prison death rates and $2B+ in overtime costs. (aka: Safe Inside) - The Carey Group [organization]: Research organization that published 'Reducing Corrections Staff Turnover Through Evidence-based Strategies' (2023), finding 38% first-year departure rate nationally. - The Marshall Project [organization]: Journalism organization that analyzed Census Bureau data finding 25 states lost at least 10% of prison employees between 2019-2023. Published 'Data Reveals Prison Crisis' report (Jan 2024). - The Moss Group [organization]: Consulting firm that worked alongside Guidehouse Inc. and Carter Goble Lee on the Georgia prison conditions report. - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics [organization]: Federal statistics agency reporting national median CO salary of $57,970 (May 2024), 387,500 total CO/jailer jobs, projected 7% employment decline through 2034, and 31,900 annual openings. (aka: BLS) - U.S. Census Bureau [organization]: Federal agency whose Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll documented a 10% decline in state correctional system employment between 2019 and 2023. (aka: Census Bureau) - U.S. Department of Justice [organization]: Federal agency that found in October 2024 that Georgia's prisons violate the Eighth Amendment's prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. Also funded the Safe Inside initiative. (aka: DOJ) - University of Georgia MPA Program [organization]: Academic program that produced research on correctional officer training and retention, documenting a case where a shopping mall opening near a prison caused CO departures to retail. (aka: UGA MPA) - Vera Institute of Justice [organization]: Research organization that published 'Prisons and Jails are Violent; They Don't Have to Be' (Oct 2023), finding 85% of prison guards have seen someone seriously injured or killed at work. (aka: Vera Institute) SOURCES (29) ---------------------------------------- - Alabama Commission on the Evaluation of Services: Correctional Officer Recruitment & Retention Efforts, Alabama Commission on the Evaluation of Services (2024-12-01) [official_report, primary] - American Correctional Association: Recruitment and Retention of Correctional Staff (2024), American Correctional Association (2024-01-01) [official_report, secondary] - Atlanta Journal-Constitution Investigations on Georgia Prison Conditions, Atlanta Journal-Constitution (2024-01-01) [journalism, secondary] - Correctional Association of New York Dashboard Update (December 2025), Correctional Association of New York (2025-12-01) [official_report, primary] - DOJ Inspector General Review of Federal Inmate Deaths (February 2024), U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (2024-02-01) [official_report, primary] - George Washington University Policy Perspectives: Solutions to a National Problem: Correctional Officer Turnover in the U.S., George Washington University Policy Perspectives (2019-01-01) [academic, secondary] - Georgia Department of Corrections Staffing and Salary Data, Georgia Department of Corrections (2024-01-01) [data_portal, primary] - Georgia Prisoners' Speak Death Tracking Data, Georgia Prisoners' Speak (2024-01-01) [gps_original, primary] - Governor Brian Kemp $600 Million Prison Reform Proposal (January 2025), Office of Governor Brian Kemp by Governor Brian Kemp (2025-01-01) [press_release, primary] - Guidehouse Inc. / The Moss Group / Carter Goble Lee Consultants' Report on Georgia Prison Conditions, Guidehouse Inc. / The Moss Group / Carter Goble Lee (2024-01-01) [official_report, primary] - National Institute of Justice: Workforce Issues in Corrections, National Institute of Justice [official_report, primary] - NC Newsline / NC Health News Reporting on North Carolina CO Vacancies, NC Newsline / NC Health News (2024-01-01) [journalism, secondary] - North Carolina Department of Adult Correction (Jan 2026), North Carolina Department of Adult Correction (2026-01-01) [official_report, primary] - North Carolina Department of Adult Correction Staffing Data (January 2026), North Carolina Department of Adult Correction (2026-01-01) [data_portal, primary] - Prison Legal News: Help Wanted: 31,000 Prison Guard Jobs Open Nationwide, Prison Legal News (2025-09-01) [journalism, secondary] - Prison Policy Initiative Staff Decline Analysis (2020–2023), Prison Policy Initiative (2024-12-01) [official_report, secondary] - Prison Policy Initiative: Following the Money 2026, Prison Policy Initiative (2026-02-01) [official_report, secondary] - Safe Inside Initiative (Feb 2026), Safe Inside Initiative / DOJ (2026-02-01) [official_report, primary] - Safe Inside Initiative Report (February 2026), Safe Inside Initiative (DOJ-funded) (2026-02-01) [official_report, primary] - Salary.com Correctional Officer Salary Data (January 2026), Salary.com (2026-01-01) [data_portal, secondary] - The Carey Group: Reducing Corrections Staff Turnover Through Evidence-based Strategies, The Carey Group (2023-01-01) [academic, secondary] - The Marshall Project: Data Reveals Prison Crisis: More Prisoners, Fewer Correctional Officers, The Marshall Project (2024-01-01) [journalism, secondary] - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (SOC 33-3012), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024-05-01) [data_portal, primary] - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook: Correctional Officers and Bailiffs, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024-01-01) [data_portal, primary] - U.S. Census Bureau Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll, U.S. Census Bureau [data_portal, primary] - U.S. Department of Justice Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024), U.S. Department of Justice (2024-10-01) [legal_document, primary] - University of Georgia MPA Program: Strategies to Improve Training and Retention of Correctional Officers, University of Georgia MPA Program [academic, secondary] - Vera Institute of Justice: Prisons and Jails are Violent; They Don't Have to Be, Vera Institute of Justice (2023-10-01) [official_report, secondary] - ZipRecruiter Correctional Officer Salary Data (December 2025), ZipRecruiter (2025-12-01) [data_portal, secondary]