Commissioner: Gregory C. Dozier

Director of Public Affairs: Joan Heath

6 Offenders receive their General Equivalency Diploma

FORSYTH, Ga. – On February 2, Helms Facility, a short-term medical facility that houses pregnant female offenders in Atlanta, Ga., hosted their first General Equivalency Diploma (GED) graduation ceremony. There were six total graduates.

“We are proud of the six dedicated women who received their GED last week,” said Commissioner Gregory C. Dozier. “This program would not be possible without our partners, Georgia Piedmont Technical College, and our hardworking staff at Helms.”

The GED program provides educational services to offenders who did not complete their high school education. Students must pass tests in four basic subject areas: Mathematics, Language Arts, Science and Social Studies. The tests at Helms Facility are administered by Georgia Piedmont Technical College.

After their stay at Helms, offenders are transferred to Lee Arrendale State Prison (LASP) in Alto, GA. Offenders who do not complete their GED at Helms are able to complete the program at LASP. A total of 14 offenders who began working on their GED at Helms, have received a diploma.

The GDC has one of the largest prison systems in the U.S. and is responsible for supervising nearly 52,000 state prisoners. It is the largest law enforcement agency in the state with approximately 10,500 employees.

For more information on the GDC call 478-992-5248 or visit https://gdc.georgia.gov.