Commissioner: Gregory C. Dozier

Director of Public Affairs: Joan Heath

Ware State Prison hosts graduation ceremony

FORSYTH, Ga. – On July 28, Ware State Prison (SP) hosted a graduation ceremony to recognize 54 men who received OJT (On-the-Job Training) certificates, 41 who received their GED, 29 who received vocational certificates, and 15 who completed the Statewide Lifers and Long-Term Offenders Program.

“We are proud of the offenders, the GDC staff, and our partners at Central Georgia Technical College, for working together to make it possible for these men to obtain certification in various fields,” said Commissioner Dozier. “It is our mission to reduce recidivism through effective programming, and this group of graduates is a great representation of the many opportunities we offer offenders, to best prepare them for a successful reentry.”

The OJT program allows offenders to earn their technical certificates while employed on work assignments. Offenders received certification in the following areas: one in Custodial Maintenance, four in General Clerical Work, 12 in Kitchen Help, six in Laundry Work, seven in Maintenance Repair, four in Salvage Labor, five in Supervisor Aide, three in Upholstery, five in Welding, and seven in Woodworking.

The GED program provides educational services catered to offenders who did not complete their high school education prior to incarceration. Graduates pass tests in four basic subject areas to acquire their GED: Mathematics, Language Arts, Science and Social Studies.

Vocational programming is provided through a partnership with the Technical College System of Georgia, who certify and deliver programs, and provide certificates to offenders who complete related coursework. Ware SP partnered with Central Georgia Technical College to certify offenders in the following programs: five in barbering, three in Computer Aided Drafting & Design, two in Culinary Arts, eleven in Diesel Mechanics, and eight in Horticulture.

The Lifers program is available to offenders who were sentenced to life with or without parole, and offenders serving 20 or more years. The curriculum includes instructional information on the following: Who am I, Acceptance of Reality, Benefits of Journaling, Taking Care of My Health, Stress Management, Lessons Learned, Goals After Graduation, and more.

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.