A Senate study committee tasked with looking at strategies to enhance the welfare of Department of Corrections employees and inmates recently adopted the final committee report prior to the beginning of the 2025 session of the Georgia General Assembly. The report includes a recommendation to increase mental health services available to the incarcerated population and staff.
The Department of Corrections Facilities Senate Study Committee was established through Senate Resolution 570 and was chaired by Majority Whip Sen. Randy Robertson, R–Cataula. They adopted the final report by unanimous vote.
“This committee has heard an abundance of valuable testimony since August,” said Robertson. “Our committee’s recommendations aim to enhance safety, promote fairness and support the Department of Corrections officers and the inmates they care for around the clock. I am grateful to each committee member for their dedication to this important issue and to the Lieutenant Governor for his unwavering support of our work.”
Robertson went on to thank those Georgia residents who came to the Capitol to share their experiences and suggestions.
“These citizens fund our budget and trust us to spend their tax dollars on worthwhile projects that provide quality care to those in our custody,” said Robertson. “As a former law enforcement officer, the welfare of our corrections officers and the inmates they protect will always be of utmost importance to me.”
The final report outlines findings and recommendations to guide Georgia’s approach to employee and inmate safety within the Georgia Department of Corrections.
Other key highlights in the report include:
- Investing in correctional officer recruitment and retention.
- Asking the Georgia Department of Audits to review all contract renewals for the past five years to see if there is a pattern of runaway costs by any vendors.
- Implementing a pay study for all Georgia Department of Corrections employees.
- Convert all existing facilities and construct all new facilities to single-person, single-cell facilities.
- Advocating the federal government to allow state prisons to use cell phone and drone jamming technology.
- Leveraging public-private partnerships to expand the capacity of the Georgia Department of Corrections.
- Prioritizing the hardening of existing corrections facilities to ensure their longevity while ensuring upcoming facilities are built to modern standards of security.
- Ensuring wardens adhere to consistent policies across facilities to prevent cultural differences within corrections facilities.
