Letter from the Commissioner
On behalf of more than 10,000 employees of the state’s largest law enforcement agency, it is with pleasure that I
present the Georgia Department of Corrections’ Fiscal Year 2015 report. This report highlights the Department’s
pioneering efforts in offender rehabilitation that align with Governor Nathan Deal’s visionary approach to Criminal Justice reform.
Over the course of the past year, the department has undergone significant changes, most notably, the scheduled
move of Probation Operations to the newly created Department of Community Supervision. It was also a year
of increasing opportunities for our offenders, with the expansion of educational programs, job skills training and
evidence-based programs that are preparing returning citizens to be productive members of society upon their
release from prison. Partnering with the Technical College System of Georgia, new and exciting programs, such
as welding and diesel mechanic training have been added. Having job skills in these high-demand areas decreases
recidivism by ensuring participants have the opportunity for good paying, stable jobs.
A great deal of research has been conducted throughout the United States regarding what types of adult corrections programs have a demonstrated ability to reduce crime. Following that research, the Georgia corrections
system will be more successful in reducing recidivism rates with policies that focus on proven evidence-based
approaches. Evidence based programming has been implemented on a large scale, with the opening of our first
Evidence-Based Facility at Lee State Prison.
Our Veterans Dorm program continues to address the needs of incarcerated veterans and is expanding educational
opportunities for them as well. Working in conjunction with the Department of Veterans Affairs, these men and
women are accessing the programs and services earned through their military service, including online college
courses utilizing veteran’s education benefits.
In addition to job skills and training, the department has broken new ground in the realm of education with the
opening of a Charter High School within one our facilities, marking the first time in the Department’s history that
qualifying offenders have had the opportunity to earn a high school diploma. This opportunity will be expanded
in FY 2016. Additionally, we continue working to address the challenges of recruitment & retention, hardening
facilities, and taking an aggressive approach to dealing with contraband.
I am proud of the progress we have made in 2015. I look forward to even greater opportunities to make Georgia a
safer place through effective rehabilitation of offenders.
Commissioner Homer Bryson
Report FY 2015
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