Gov. Kemp Unveils Recommendations from System-wide Corrections System Assessment

Atlanta, GA - Governor Brian P. Kemp, in conjunction with the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC), today announced historic budget infusion recommendations for the state's prison system following an in-depth and independent system-wide assessment of the Georgia corrections system by the consulting firm Guidehouse, Inc.(The Moss Group and Carter, Goble Lee (CGL)). Totaling more than $372 million of the overall $600 in investmentsacross the Amended Fiscal Year 2025 and Fiscal Year 2026 budgets, these recommendations mark the latest measure to improve public safety for all Georgians following a multi-year effort to crack down on crime, take violent offenders off the streets, provide further support and training for state and local law enforcement, and invest well over 1.6 billion additional dollars into public safety since Governor Kemp took office.

"Public safety is the number one priority of state government, and that is why we have taken a comprehensive and deliberate approach to strengthening law enforcement and improving our corrections system," said Governor Brian Kemp. "Today's announcement is the latest step we've taken to ensure Georgia's communities remain safe, but it will not be the last. I want to thank the teams at Guidehouse for their diligent and detailed work over the past several months, as well as the Department of Corrections personnel who have been helpful partners at every step of this process and who face incredible challenges each day to keep violent criminals behind bars. Along with our legislative partners in the General Assembly, I look forward to delivering on these historic improvements."

In June of 2024, Governor Kemp announced he had charged the Department of Corrections and Guidehouse to identify current strengths, opportunities, and recommendations to enhance operational efficiency and effectiveness throughout the prison system. In the months following, the teams at Guidehouse, Inc. have worked collaboratively with GDC to assess current operational and infrastructure conditions. Assessments were driven by visits to multiple state prison facilities and interviews with staff, current inmates, and relevant stakeholders, using evidence-based practice and research methods.

"On behalf the entire GDC team, I want to express our gratitude to Governor Kemp, the members of the study committees and the Guidehouse team for their collective commitment to ensuring a thorough evaluation of current challenges facing our agency as we continue to seek ways to improve public safety and better our effectiveness in delivering on the mission to keep Georgians safe," said GDC Commissioner Oliver.

The recommendations, presented today by GDC Commissioner Tyrone Oliver at a Joint Meeting of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, address significant near-term challenges like employment vacancies for security and non-security staff and aligning facility infrastructure with offender security needs.

"Prisons are for punishment and rehabilitation- not TikTok. We must block cell signals in our prisons for employee, inmate, and public safety," said Senate Appropriations Chairman Sen. Blake Tillery. "In the face of federal inaction, I want to thank Governor Kemp, Lieutenant Governor Jones, Speaker Burns, Senator Robertson, and the Georgia Department of Corrections for that shared commitment to make prisons safe for employee, inmate, and the public alike. I look forward to continuing this successful approach in the upcoming legislative session."

"In recent months, we have heard from various stakeholders on what needs to be done to address the challenges currently facing Georgia's prisons," said House Appropriations Chairman Matt Hatchett. "These exceptional recommendations address pressing issues by dedicating the funding and resources needed to ensure the safety of our communities, inmates and those who work in our prisons. This session, the Georgia House will promote solutions to the problems facing our facilities, which all states are currently having, as we have learned throughout this review."

"As a former law enforcement officer, this issue is of great importance to me," said Majority Whip Sen. Randy Robertson. "Along with the work done by our study committee, I am thankful for Governor Kemp's recommendations, the Department of Corrections and Guidehouse team for their partnership and, the Lieutenant Governor's support of our hard work and this honest assessment of conditions within our correctional system. I look forward to continuing this collaborative approach in enhancing the welfare of our corrections officers and those in state custody."

Notable budget and non-budget recommendations include, but are not limited to:

• Enhancements to Staffing Levels
  • Provide a four percent salary increase for all correctional officer staff, bringing parity to pay with neighboring states.
  • Increase funds for an eight percent salary increase for behavioral health counselor positions to align with statewide averages to improve recruitment and retention of those positions.
  • Increase funds for a four percent salary increase for education, chaplain, food service, and maintenance positions to align with statewide averages to improve recruitment and retention of those positions.
  • Increase correctional and close security officer positions by 330 positions to improve staff-to-offender ratios.
  • Develop statewide targeted marketing initiative to recruit and onboard new correctional officers.
  • Develop and implement updated training curriculum for correctional officers.
• Emergency Repairs and Infrastructure Improvements
  • Increase funds for emergency repairs and facility maintenance support to bring existing beds online and improve population management.
  • Fund additional facility maintenance personnel and regional support staff to address critical facility maintenance needs.
  • Fund a 5 person "Tiger Team" to support ongoing efforts to address repairs needed on facility locks, locking controls, and security electronics statewide.
  • Invest $40 million for planning and design purposes for a new prison facility.
  • Increase funds to add 446 private prison beds to the existing contract.
  • Fund sitework and construction of four 126 bed modular correctional units to facilitate offender population movement necessary for capital and security improvements.

The GDC will continue in its commitment to working alongside the Guidehouse team as they complete their assessment and provide implementation support.

About the Georgia Department of Corrections

The Georgia Department of Corrections currently supervises approximately 47,000 inmates and is the largest law enforcement agency in the state with roughly 9,000 employees. For more information on the GDC, visit gdc.georgia.gov.

About Guidehouse, Inc.

Guidehouse is a leading global provider of consulting services to the public sector and commercial markets, with broad capabilities in strategy, management, technology, and risk consulting. Click here for more information.

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