What the Research Says: Programs That Actually Work in Prisons
Research shows proven programs cut return-to-prison rates by 20-30% and save $5 for every $1 spent. Here’s what works and why Georgia should invest.
recidivism
Georgia Falls Behind: Brennan Center Report Names State as Blocking Prison Education While Reform Models Slash Violence and Recidivism Nationwide
Brennan Center names Georgia as blocking prison education while reform states cut recidivism by one-third and violence by 73%. Six policy actions Georgia’s legislature can take now.
80% of Voters Want Prison Reform. Does Your Legislator?
More than 80% of American voters support prison reform. A landmark Brennan Center study proves reform works — with 73% violence reductions, recidivism drops of one-third, and renovations under budget. Georgia is one of two states explicitly called out for refusing to try. This companion report to the “No Way Out” series holds the evidence against what Georgia’s families and incarcerated people are experiencing.
Let Them Go Home: Georgia Spends Its Most Expensive Dollars on the People Least Likely to Reoffend
Georgia holds nearly 13,000 people over 50 in its prisons — the most expensive to incarcerate and the least likely to reoffend. Every dollar spent warehousing aging prisoners is stolen from rehabilitation, education, and the community investments that actually prevent crime.
Georgia Spends $1.8 Billion Annually on a Prison System the DOJ Says Makes People Worse: An Advocacy Toolkit
Georgia spends $1.8 billion on prisons and $172,000 on vocational education. The DOJ found people ‘leave prison worse than when they came in.’ Here’s how to use this research to demand change.
Georgia Spends $1.8 Billion a Year on a Prison System the Federal Government Says Makes People Worse
Georgia spends $1.8B on prisons but $172,000 on vocational education. Federal investigators say people ‘leave prison worse than when they came in.’ The true recidivism rate is double what the state reports.
Georgia Spends $1.8 Billion on Incarceration and $172,000 on Vocational Education: The Fiscal and Human Cost of Reentry Failure
Georgia spends $1.8B on prisons but just $172,000 on vocational education. The DOJ found people “leave prison worse than when they came in.” The true recidivism rate approaches 50%.
Georgia Spends $1.8 Billion a Year on Prisons. People Leave Worse Than When They Went In.
Georgia spends $1.8 billion on prisons but just $172,000 on job training. The DOJ says people leave worse than when they went in.
The $40 Billion Trap: How Truth in Sentencing Cost Georgia 500 Times What It Received — and What Advocates Can Do About It
Georgia accepted $82.2M in federal TIS grants and took on $40–50 billion in costs. Academic consensus: near-zero crime reduction. Here’s how advocates can use this research.
Georgia Traded $82 Million in Federal Grants for a $40–50 Billion Corrections Bill — and Got No Measurable Public Safety Benefit
Georgia accepted $82M in federal TIS grants and incurred $40–50B in corrections costs — a 1:500 ratio — while academic consensus shows near-zero crime reduction from increased incarceration since 2000.