Editor’s note: This opinion piece resulted from a request the AJC made to the office of Gov. Brian Kemp, asking them to respond to an opinion piece about prison conditions written by a group of inmates that is also appearing today on ajc.com/opinion.
When I was appointed to lead the brave men and women at the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC), I saw it as an honor, but also as an opportunity to address the critical challenges that have faced our prison systems.
With the governor’s support and encouragement, my team and I would engage in writing a new chapter at the GDC by tackling challenges that threaten the health and safety of our staff and inmates or impact our ability to decrease recidivism rates.
There is no magic wand that wipes away the concerns surrounding our prisons overnight. Rather it requires understanding, steady progress and a willingness to look beyond symptoms and address root causes – something I’m proud to say we have been doing from day one. While seldom reported or fully acknowledged by journalists and watchdog advocates who are quick to highlight a problem, but rarely willing to present a sustainable solution — the GDC has worked tirelessly to address correctional staffing challenges, eradicate weapons and contraband in our facilities, employ new technology and resources to help keep our staff and inmates safe and set offenders on paths of success upon their release.
Credit: Ryon Horne
Credit: Ryon Horne
Many of the root causes that lead to the issues facing our prisons are not unique to Georgia, but we are committed to addressing them head-on so we can not only improve but make Georgia a model for the nation.
Correctional staffing challenges, and law enforcement staffing in general, is an issue being discussed across the country. While the role of a correctional officer is challenging compared to other jobs, our recruitment efforts continue to show recruits that this is a good, rewarding career. We are always actively recruiting via social media and our website, along with job fairs and hiring events, with an average of 160 job fairs conducted each month. To put that in comparison, private sector employers attend an average of just 41 job fairs per year on average, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers. And, since Jan. 2019, correctional officer starting salaries have increased from $31,040 to $44,044 today, with another targeted pay increase of $3,000 proposed by Gov. Brian Kemp for the upcoming fiscal year.
Thanks to these and other efforts, we’ve seen an average of 125 correctional officers (COs) hired each month over the last half year. We have also seen a net gain in the number of staff we are bringing on board versus the number departing for 8 consecutive months. CO turnover rates are trending in the right direction, falling from 47.8% in FY22 to 35.7% for FY24.
This systemwide progress is important to highlight, but we are also very mindful of the challenges at Smith State Prison (SP) which houses 1,331 inmates, 89% of whom are violent offenders. While the culture at Smith SP didn’t happen overnight and will take time to fully address, Warden Beasley and his staff have worked diligently to implement structure and discipline while eliminating weapons and contraband.
To sufficiently interdict all contraband throughout the facility and its grounds, a total of 7 shakedowns were conducted inside the facility during 2023, and the GDC conducts parking lot searches and overnight surveillance repeatedly. As a result of the shakedown efforts, 1,509 weapons, 694 cell phones, 854 phone chargers, 7.55 kilos of marijuana and 12.53 kilos of tobacco have been removed from the facility. Further, Smith SP is at the top of the list of drone sightings and recoveries this calendar year.
We should also note that despite claims to the contrary, attempts to introduce contraband into the prison system are predominantly made by civilians, far outnumbering any such attempts by GDC personnel. Our staff are dedicated to their oath of protecting the public and my priority since being appointed is that those who do not live up to this oath are immediately terminated and prosecuted.
The work our staff does is among the most dangerous in the country and they are needed behind those walls. We support them 100% for their dedication and bravery and we do so with more than just words – we are raising pay and increasing their ranks by recruiting and retaining more officers.
While progress has been made, we are consciously aware that the journey is not yet completed. However, I cannot stand by and watch the brave men and women of this department who do the work few could ever do or talk about be disparaged in the headlines and accused of sitting on their hands. We can acknowledge the progress that has been made while also not losing sight of the fact that there remains more work to do and that’s what I will continue to do.
Tyrone Oliver is commissioner of the Georgia Department of Corrections.
Credit: TNS
Credit: TNS
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