Governor Nathan Deal wants a new criminal justice reform law to emphasize education and job training for prisoners.
South Georgia law enforcers agree, when inmates can get a job and earn a living wage once they're out of jail, they have a much better chance of staying out of jail.
The state Department of Correction's budget is about one billion dollars a year, and we all know state money is tight. The Governor says the Internet and programs currently in use will help implement his plan without adding costs.
Right now one in every three Georgia inmates leaving prison will be re-convicted for a new crime and end up back behind bars within three years. State parole leaders say jobs for inmates when they are released is a big key to breaking that cycle.
"Everyday that somebody stays employed, their likelihood of going back to prison decreases by one percent," said State Board of Pardon and Paroles Chief Albany Parole Officer Leslie Lamb.
Governor Deal is asking legislators to draw up a new criminal justice reform law to emphasize classroom education and online job training for inmates. Experts say the Internet is a good tool that can be used to educate inmates, and they have the time while doing time.
"They are captive. They are there. And let's educate them. Let's give them job skills. Let's teach them how they can take care of themselves," Lamb said.
The Dougherty County Jail offers a GED program to help inmates earn their high school equivalency. And that program is being called a success.
"The interest has just exploded. Now we have about 50 inmates that are actively enrolled in the GED program," said Dougherty County Jail Director Colonel John Ostrander. "We have inmates tutoring the inmates, trying to help them be successful. So we anticipate the Governor's programs will be as successful as ours, and hopefully this will have a great impact across the state."
How to pay for those kinds of educational programs is one of the biggest question marks for the proposal. The Governor wants to use programs currently in place like the firefighter training at many prisons without adding cost.
Rep. Jay Neal, who has co-sponsored a bill to overhaul the state's criminal justice system, says the potential cost savings from the reform effort could help pay for the educational programs.
If these reforms don't help, a state report says that by 2016 Georgia's prison's population could pass the 60,000 inmate mark, and add another $264 million to that already billion dollar budget.
The Dougherty County Jail GED program depends mostly on donations so the inmates can pay the $95 cost to take the GED test.
You can learn how to contribute by calling Major Sabrina Lewis at 229-430-6508.
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