ATLANTA - Governor Nathan Deal has issued a proclamation designating the month of July as ‘Reentry Awareness Month’ in Georgia. The purpose of this month is to highlight the important reentry work being performed by the Georgia Prisoner Reentry Initiative, DCS Community Coordinators and other public and private community stakeholders to reduce recidivism and encourage all Georgians to support individuals returning from prison.

DCS Assistant Commissioner, Scott Maurer, says community partnerships are essential to successful reentry and transition.

“In recognition of Reentry Awareness Month in Georgia, we want to thank the extremely hard working DCS team members for their tireless efforts to assist individuals returning to our communities in the often difficult task of successful reintegration,” said Maurer. “We also recognize that it takes strong community partnerships to make re-entry successful. Special thanks to the men and women who have partnered with us as we continue to make Georgia a safer state and national leader in community corrections,“ added Maurer.

DCS Deputy Director of Reentry Services, Jay Sanders, says his team is dedicated to helping link returning citizens to the resources needed for successful reentry and transition.

“The DCS Reentry Services Unit is proud to support ‘Reentry Awareness Month’. Nearly 18,000 individuals were released from Georgia prisons last year. Our office is committed to connecting with each individual prior to release and creating a successful reentry plan for them,” said Sanders. “We are also committed to assisting communities bridge gaps and overcome barriers ensuring success for all involved in the reentry process,” added Sanders.

Over 95 percent of Georgia’s prison population will be released back to their communities. In the past, about 40 percent of those released would return to prison within three years. It is crucial that these individuals attempting to reintegrate into Georgia communities receive the support and encouragement needed to become law-abiding, productive members of society. The DCS Reentry Services Unit is tasked with helping returning citizens and those citizens currently under community supervision find success in their efforts to re-enter public life.

Contact Information:

For more information please contact Jay Sanders, Deputy Director of Reentry Services at 229.854.2926 or at [email protected]. You may also visit our website at https://dcs.georgia.gov/.