Deal’s Criminal Justice Reform Legacy And The Ga. Governor’s Race

Democrat Stacey Abrams, left, and Republican Brian Kemp, right, have both praised the criminal justice reforms by Gov. Nathan Deal, center. Abrams and Kemp have also stated their own criminal justice goals as they compete to be Georgia’s next governor.

Associated Press file photos

On the campaign trail, both major party candidates for Georgia governor have praised Republican Gov. Nathan Deal’s criminal justice reforms. But, while Democrat Stacey Abrams wants to continue and expand on his policies, Republican Brian Kemp is focused on other issues.

Deal’s criminal justice policies have prioritized keeping nonviolent offenders out of prison and lowering the rate of repeat offenders, and they’ve been a hallmark of his administration.

“Nathan Deal has done more for criminal justice reform than any governor in my recent memory,” said Abrams at a town hall in Dalton last month. “Georgia used to have the fourth-highest incarceration rate in the nation. We’re now down to No. 9.”