Georgia corrections commissioner outlines $459 million plan to shore up staffing, security and aging facilities

Commissioner Tyrone, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Corrections, told a joint House appropriations subcommittee hearing that the governor nd outside consultants had developed a package of recommendations to address staffing shortages, a rise in contraband and aging facility infrastructure.

The governor mended FY25 request totals about $458.7 million and the FY26 request totals about $144.6 million, Commissioner Tyrone said. The presentation grouped spending into four broad priorities: security staffing and salaries, contraband interdiction and technology, offender health and medical services, and capital repairs and locking/control upgrades.

Why it matters: Lawmakers and corrections officials said the changes aim to improve safety for staff, inmates and the public, reduce long-term operating costs and restore system capacity so facilities can be taken offline for repairs.

Staffing and compensation: The administration asked for a mix of new positions, salary compression fixes and step promotions to improve retention. Key items included a request to add 882 correctional officer (CO) posts over time to reduce officer-to-offender ratios (the presentation said current staffing patterns are insufficient), an in-grade promotion schedule and an across‑the‑board 4% CO raise in FY26. The package includes a FY26 line of roughly $6.1 million for career‑path promotions and a FY25 line of about $10.4 million that the department tied to filling 330 CO and CSM positions.

Commissioner Tyrone said the department has been "making progress in netting and retaining" newly hired officers, citing net hires of 672 COs in FY23 and 569 in FY24, with 243 year-to-date in FY25. He also told lawmakers the department will provide a…