Commissioner Oliver and GDC officials told the Georgia House appropriations subcommittee they expect the state prison population to grow over the next five years, and urged continued funding for staffing and capital projects.

Cliff Hogan, director of data management and analysis for the Department of Corrections, said the agency’s projection through 2030 shows the total inmate population could increase roughly 10% from current levels to “over 55,000 offenders,” with the male life-without-parole population alone rising about 38% in the next five years. Hogan told the committee longer numerical sentences and the length of time people spend behind bars are the main drivers of growth.

Commissioner Oliver said the department currently counts about 50,618 people in state prisons, transitional centers, private prisons and county institutions. He and Hogan emphasized how the aging, sicker and longer-stay populations raise costs across custody, health care and infrastructure.

On staffing, GDC reported progress in recruitment: entry-level correctional officer classes and pay increases have contributed to roughly 20 consecutive months of net gains in CO1/CO2 positions and a current tally of more than 3,100 correctional officers in those job classes. But officials cautioned that security staffing is not rebounding as quickly as the offender population, leaving utilization pressures in some facilities and vacancies concentrated in certain regions.

Committee members pressed the department on retention and pay. GDC credited recent salary steps, promotion ladders and recruitment campaigns with improved applicant flow but said retention remains a focus, particularly for supervisory and longer-tenure positions, where the department has seen an erosion of experienced staff.

GDC also briefed the committee on planned capital work tied to population growth. The agency said modular “Modcor” units and a planned new state prison (design funded) will add capacity, while targeted projects — lock-and-control upgrades, transition-center expansions and renovations — are under procurement. Project managers said long lead times and specialized equipment (particularly for locking systems) are major schedule drivers.

The meeting closed with members urging continued appropriations to keep pay competitive, accelerate lock and technology projects, and fund planned new construction to avoid placing people in less-secure or overcrowded settings. The committee took no formal votes during the briefing; it recessed for follow-up and budget work.