[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6363018,"mediaKeyId","2166938-3fe0227ad52e8cce2bda25105671a220","parentId",2166938,"title","Department of Corrections details multi‑million plan to reduce contraband, hire staff and harden aging prisons","audioSeconds",4715,"startMs",8480000,"endMs",13195000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2166938-3fe0227ad52e8cce2bda25105671a220&start=8480&end=13195","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2166938-3fe0227ad52e8cce2bda25105671a220/thumbnail_8480000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6363018/Georgia/Department-of-Corrections-details-multimillion-plan-to-reduce-contraband-hire-staff-and-harden-aging-prisons","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6363018-aedf6fa2f27282e431768dc6cc8f42aa/orig.mp4?Expires=1770981814&Signature=UmVYfyUphgsD6KyjT~D27UvQ0j~SejiOwSNwExux-Kh59yY~FooCvEjzpDdx4laKz1kDMMYABLTQovrGGiW7NejaibvTHMBra5dcliofeWsEKcCohXQWbHf9F84J-JuXL18vUnN6kr69X7W4aIa3fw3LAIlvFG2eQohprINcpDkioJaoYCIUuAOl-syoVgNuAgG94eJLHQxVu0Yml0wCUU2ybVcftfq-3tUYp1JkK892eE85QQRIHQ26GtkRu-X54sWqP6cfkyXkjQ-Ez37QnwDOj9FLEmdmFZ1WRuK5cYE9y7jA3SWgLBnwwiTS6FESVRqGYWc0aymDzEN5Hs7-bw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author"," Georgia House of Representative State Legislature ","date","2025-01-27T00:00:00Z","article","The Georgia Department of Corrections presented a package of amended FY2025 requests to the House Public Safety Appropriations Committee focused on three goals: reduce contraband and violent incidents inside prisons, repair aging infrastructure, and increase correctional officer staffing.

Why it matters: the agency told the panel that cellphones, drone deliveries and throwovers have enabled organized violence and that many facilities have locking and control systems that are failing. The department said the problems have made staffing and retention harder and forced use of surge solutions such as private contract beds.

What the department asked for and why
- Planning, project management and facility maintenance support (tracking item 19.1.0.1): $906,000 to continue technical assistance and planning to sequence repairs and hardening projects. The department said the funds will support a multi‑year staffing and facilities plan.
- Ten‑year staffing and facility plan (tracking discussion): the department described a $5 million planning allocation to build a long‑term capital and personnel roadmap so repairs and future facilities align with security needs.
- Recruitment marketing and onboarding initiative (tracking item 19.1.0.3): about $2.8 million to build a targeted recruitment and onboarding program and to streamline hiring and background processes that the department says are slowing hires.
- Training updates: $900,000 to standardize and expand scenario‑based training for cadets; the department told members improved training should aid retention and safety.
- Safety, security and technology: the department proposed investments in drone‑detection and managed‑access systems, expanded monitoring and managed access to reduce unauthorized deliveries and cellphone use, and a multi‑prison electronic upgrades effort it described as essential to curbing contraband‑related violence.
- Modular housing and lock upgrades: the proposal includes funding for high‑security modular housing units (presented as one option to speed bed availability and create hardened housing) and major lock/control upgrades for multiple prisons so facilities can be taken offline for repairs without crippling bed capacity.
- Medical and behavioral health contracts: the department detailed higher costs tied to pharmacy, dental and mental‑health contracts and proposed a risk‑share and an electronic health record solution to improve care continuity between vendors and state records.
- Staffing ratios: the department proposed raising the correctional officer ratio toward 1:11 from the current 1:14 on a phased schedule; it said 882 additional officer positions are needed systemwide with an initial phase of roughly half that added across FY2025–26.

Commissioner (Georgia Department of Corrections) told the committee, “cell phones are... a deadly weapon inside state prisons,” arguing that improved locking controls, detection systems and staffing are needed together to reduce violence and restore order.

Context and tradeoffs
Committee members pressed the department on timeframes and vendor lead times for locks and modules. The department said some detention‑grade locking systems and components carry lead times of several months and that modular units can shorten the calendar to add hardened bed capacity, but are not a permanent substitute for long‑term capital planning.

What’s next
The department asked the committee to prioritize the mix of one‑time repairs, ongoing contract increases for health and treatment services, and staged staff hires. Members signaled urgency on locking‑control work and drone detection but also raised questions about procurement timelines and the costs of modular versus brick‑and‑mortar options.

Ending note
The department framed the request as triage and stabilization: a combination of technology, improved training and modest near‑term capacity to permit longer‑term renovations and new construction.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","01/27/2025 Appropriations Subcommittee on Public Safety","oneSentenceSummary","The Georgia Department of Corrections presented a package of amended FY2025 requests to the House Public Safety Appropriations Committee focused on three goals: reduce contraband and violent incidents inside prisons, repair aging infrastructure, and increase correctional officer staffing.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature Georgia , Georgia","taxId",77688,"location","Georgia","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6363008,"Driver education commission to award about 1,300 more Joshua’s Law scholarships after higher collections",58,1472000,1530000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2166938-3fe0227ad52e8cce2bda25105671a220&start=1472&end=1530","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2166938-3fe0227ad52e8cce2bda25105671a220/thumbnail_1472000.jpg","/articles/6363008/Georgia/Driver-education-commission-to-award-about-1300-more-Joshuas-Law-scholarships-after-higher-collections","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6363008-d6d3bbb49a18405416f082f9bca645a9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770981814&Signature=IB2zUd5hJLqD-4YxWg1K~0qD~lkQETrmPaLdAlBp1C-eMGbjxGSa3QQlbth8M5uTS5Os1y8jM-TikunyHqbqUwX1erAF9jCU5H064H41epsZZwdBriqmEcN0ZqxO0lHHbHwPMVr6yUfKEYVwPaXLe89oQ68-IKfq5WONIjaZBR0TQ8EAs9bJ4b6W0F9qK6XJXish8s2uWUsOhlvYL699mF637iDkt91RpizvEPP6YqGmb6XXGW9MpiGjgJSMLdmvVP6FqaP268IYmjhidBxzYxAYKg-FuqVxPHxm7cKi65byQKESWbCwv-ashSTrCxt5MF3ATRUFN2FOYcqPpyab9Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lede: A representative for the Georgia Driver Education Commission told the Public Safety Appropriations Committee that Joshua’s Law collections in the current year exceeded estimates by about $522,000, money the commission plans to use to expand scholarships.

Nut graf: The commission said the extra revenue will let it increase scholarship awards from 4,842 in the prior year to an anticipated approximately 6,200 this year; the commission described that as a substantial step in expanding access to driver education scholarships.

Details from testimony
- The commission representative said the budget line shows an increase of $522,000 because actual Joshua’s Law collections were higher than estimated and were trued up in the amended budget.
- Using those funds, the commission expects to award roughly 1,300 additional scholarships beyond the previous year’s awards of 4,842, bringing the anticipated total to about 6,200.
- Committee members asked whether the increase was related to fee or collection rate changes; the commission clarified the increase reflected actual collections exceeding estimated totals and discussed matching structures for state and federal funding sources in a separate line item.

Context: Joshua’s Law is the state driver education scholarship program funded by dedicated collections. The commission emphasized that the additional funds should expand opportunities for driver education among eligible students.

Ending: Committee members had no further questions after the representative’s explanation; the commission moved on to other items on the tracking sheet.","The Georgia driver education commission told the committee that Joshua's Law collections exceeded estimates by roughly $522,000, allowing the commission to award an estimated additional 1,300 scholarships this year and raise the anticipated total to about 6,200 scholarships.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6363012,"GBI asks legislature for funding to clear forensic backlog, expand GSAC and field digital forensics",1140,3900000,5040000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2166938-3fe0227ad52e8cce2bda25105671a220&start=3900&end=5040","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2166938-3fe0227ad52e8cce2bda25105671a220/thumbnail_3900000.jpg","/articles/6363012/Georgia/GBI-asks-legislature-for-funding-to-clear-forensic-backlog-expand-GSAC-and-field-digital-forensics","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6363012-fa8aec3de701d7683c96f0783259e3d8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770981814&Signature=kc97UNd7GPA-Fxzvj1C70IZVRDMy83vtPYhv6ondjCqAmYEYtv0LQIoZoULSbWfM5vO9lqt~qrLdnGu3LSQFOoXBHSVlepw1Ml18KgHe6fMNTPXgGiXZbDX3EUqOIwgPqfWJ0Lwj4vrkgqrzw4c96xaXyyVuZ1JQX7ouehgYNIhawB6refC~NNGMvB2eLjPRLPOrx0BE5Sbki2FvWYrkQ4yw6BoEbKd7BwAGzk68Rtbv-1IgyrqMi3xB05gvRSUPsbWodvfQ9dCk3te5pxNK4bJCZlMaqlOGeDmDllemEan1Vd7Hx7FWbFimWjedTn2eMvOQdpkL~QwX9nr2tcLoYw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lede: Chris Hosey, director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, told the House Public Safety Appropriations Committee the agency needs funds in the amended FY2025 budget to reduce crime‑lab backlogs, add forensic and intelligence personnel, and sustain security contracts and maintenance.

Nut graf: GBI said drug‑chemistry backlogs remain the largest single delay in getting forensic results; toxicology is also consequential. The bureau requested one‑time and recurring funds for lab service contracts, digital forensics staff, management positions and a short‑term strategic threat assessment expansion.

Key requests and rationale
- Contract and security maintenance: $29,472 was cited to adjust statewide security contracts and service agreements for lab instrumentation; the director said service contracts include parts and reduce instrument downtime.
- Crime lab technical leaders and chemistry oversight: funds to add supervisory and assistant manager roles and to expand chemistry capacity at the central lab and in regional labs (Macon) to address an overall backlog; director said chemistry accounts for roughly 77% of backlog in one section.
- Digital forensic investigators: funding to embed digital forensics investigators in field work units so investigators have faster access to devices and evidence analysis.
- Strategic Threat Assessment Group (STAG): one‑time costs to pilot expansion of the GSAC intelligence unit into a STAG to address threats to public officials, school threats, domestic threats at events and ports of entry; requested funding would cover 10 months of three sworn positions while grant funds are pursued.

Director Chris Hosey said the bureau has improved staffing and is adding medical examiner doctors (15 on staff with four vacancies at the time of testimony) and is conducting deep dives into the chemistry backlog. He also said turn‑over for lab scientific staff has improved from 8.2% to 4.6%.

Context: lawmakers and representatives from multiple districts asked for turnaround times on sexual‑assault kits and toxicology. The bureau said SAK processing had been reduced but remained around 300 kits backlogged and toxicology turnaround averaged roughly four to six weeks absent expedition.

Ending: GBI closed by asking the committee to consider the requested technical positions and contract increases to sustain forensic capacity and intelligence screening while they pursue other longer‑term solutions.","The Georgia Bureau of Investigation told lawmakers it needs new positions, equipment and contract dollars to cut drug‑chemistry backlogs, expand a strategic threat assessment unit and embed digital forensics staff in field units to speed investigations and support prosecutions.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Department of Corrections details multi‑million plan to reduce contraband, hire staff and harden aging prisons

Driver education commission to award about 1,300 more Joshua’s Law scholarships after higher collections

GBI asks legislature for funding to clear forensic backlog, expand GSAC and field digital forensics