Commissioner: Gregory C. Dozier

Director of Public Affairs: Joan Heath

First in State Offer Comprehensive Approach to Successful Reentry

FORSYTH, Ga. – On Thursday, August 2, 2018, the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the official opening of the newly re-missioned Metro Reentry Facility in Atlanta, Ga.  Governor Nathan Deal delivered the keynote address to the more than 200 dignitaries and special guests who were in attendance.

“Today, all of you have proven that criminal justice reform was the right thing to do,” said Governor Nathan Deal. “Once someone crosses that threshold of acknowledging the harm they have done or the future harm they could do if they do not change their direction or the path of their lives, we open up a whole new world for them, their families, and that is important for the future of our state.”

Metro Reentry Facility originally opened in 1980 as Metro State Prison, a male facility, and in 1993, it was converted to a female facility until it closed in 2011. In support of the third phase of Governor Deal’s Criminal Justice reform platform, Metro State Prison was slated for repurposing and would be re-established as Metro Reentry Facility. Today, the facility houses approximately 330 offenders.

“The vision Governor Deal outlined in 2012 has made a difference in the lives of those who have come into our system,” said Commissioner Gregory C. Dozier. “The culture has changed through this vision and when we see that we are breaking the generational chain of crime in our communities, it makes our daily work worth it. This is a glimpse of Governor Deal’s vision coming to fruition.”

As an integral part of the Georgia Prisoner Reentry Initiative (GA-PRI), the facility will utilize evidence-based practices and community collaboration to address all barriers for participants’ successful reentry back into society.   Targeting those offenders who will be released into the Metro Atlanta counties of Clayton, Cobb, Dekalb, Fulton and Gwinnett, the facility provides opportunities for simultaneous participation in Academic and Vocational Education programs, personal development, extracurricular activities, and community service, along with counseling, cognitive, and substance abuse programming.

About the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC)

The Georgia Department of Corrections (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 478-992-5247 or visit https://gdc.georgia.gov.

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