Deal Spotlights Criminal Justice Reform In New Budget
Gov. Nathan Deal wants to give more prisoners a shot at getting a high school diploma or GED. Deal made that case Thursday to state lawmakers who are reviewing his nearly $22 billion spending plan for next year.
“We are conveying to our fellow Georgians that the mistakes of their past have not sentenced them to a life of despair, that if they work hard and pay their dues then upon release they’ll have a chance to move on from what they’ve done,” said Deal.
The governor, who just won reelection in November, made criminal justice reform a signature priority of his first term. During the budget presentation with state lawmakers, Deal could have talked about anything but again chose to spotlight it.
“I want to focus on one that you already know is close to my heart.”
Seven in 10 inmates in Georgia are high school dropouts. Deal’s budget calls for an extra $15 million so prisons can hire 28 full-time teachers and principals. Those new staffers would work with two charter schools to help inmates get diplomas and GEDs. Deal also wants more money for job training and counseling services to keep former inmates out of trouble.
Lawmakers will debate Deal’s budget and likely finalize a version by March or April.
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