Criminal Legal System Reform
Overview
Though Georgia has made strides in reforming its criminal legal system in recent years, barriers persist to employment and economic opportunities for those impacted by Georgia’s court and carceral systems. Historic and current punitive policies threaten to perpetuate the disproportionate incarceration of Black Georgians and exacerbate the economic hardships that often beget incarceration—inequitable access to stable housing, quality healthcare, education pathways and quality jobs. Further, local and state government reliance on fines and fees revenue criminalizes poverty. Rather than incentivize the use of state investments for carceral purposes, our state must expand economic opportunities for Georgians, work to ensure a fair justice system, reduce criminal legal system fines and fees and provide supports to individuals and families impacted by the criminal legal system.
Featured
Crossover Day 2022: Strong Health and Economic Legislation Cross Over, But Dangerous Tax Threat Remains
Yesterday, March 15, marked Crossover Day 2022, the day by which a bill generally must pass out of ...
Overview: 2023 Fiscal Year Budget for the Georgia Department of Corrections
For Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, Gov. Brian Kemp proposed a $1.27 billion budget for the Georgia ...
Unjust Revenue from an Imbalanced Criminal Legal System: How Georgia’s Fines and Fees Worsen Racial Inequity
Key Takeaways: Georgia’s poor governance of fines and fees revenue practices has allowed many economically underperforming localities to ...
Georgia Criminal Legal Systems Budget Primer for State Fiscal Year 2022
Georgia’s 2022 Department of Corrections Budget The Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) budget for FY 2022 is $1.12 ...
Overview: 2022 Fiscal Year Budget for the Georgia Department of Corrections
For Fiscal Year (FY) 2022, Gov. Brian Kemp proposed a $1.12 billion budget for the Georgia ...
COVID-19 Has Exacerbated the Inequities Inherent in Incarceration
Key Takeaways: Prior to the pandemic, the GDC population was rising, leaving those within densely populated ...
Georgia Criminal Legal System Budget Primer for State Fiscal Year 2021
The Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) budget for 2021 is $1.1 billion. The department oversees all aspects of ...
Data on Police Spending in Georgia
Poverty alleviation efforts such as TANF, as well as investments in mental health, education and other critical programs, ...
Standing with Black Lives
Amid the ongoing protests and demonstrations against police brutality, frustration over the deep and long-standing inequities in our ...
Issue Experts
Ray Khalfani
Senior Analyst, Worker Justice & Criminal Legal Systems
Former Authors
Stephanie Angel
Former Policy Fellow, Immigration & the Criminal Legal System
