ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Georgia lawmakers are taking a deeper dive into funding options to reduce overcrowding, violence, and safety concerns within the state’s prison system.

Speaker of the House Jon Burns formed the Special Subcommittee of Appropriations on State Prisons. The committee is chaired by the Appropriations Chairman Matt Hatchett.

“The General Assembly has placed significant emphasis on improving the safety, security, and conditions of our state-operated corrections facilities,” said Burns. “With Gov. Kemp’s ongoing assessment of Georgia’s prisons, we want to ensure we are prepared to take immediate action when subsequent recommendations and appropriations requests are delivered in January or during the interim.”

The committee met for the first time on Wednesday.

The Department of Corrections Commissioner Tyrone Oliver said he wanted to ask the General Assembly for three things- pay raises for employees, an expansion of inmate healthcare offerings, and infrastructure/technology needs.

“This is by far the hardest mission in public safety period,” said Oliver.

Georgia has the fourth-highest state prison population in the country with nearly 50,000 inmates. The average inmate is 40 years old, serving a 12-year sentence.

Oliver said single-cell beds could decrease violence in the state’s prisons. 93% of the beds are full. Last year, there were 47 homicides in Georgia prisons. A majority of those were carried out by cellmates.

Oliver said they try to separate inmates into single cells, but most of the state’s prisons can only offer bunks or dual cells.

Contraband drives violence and illegal activity. Last year more than 10,000 cell phones and 19,000 weapons were confiscated. Oliver says drones are dropping contraband to prisoners.

State Representative Al Williams (D-Midway) said the board has concerns over the safety of inmates. He delivered a message to the Commissioner.

“You’ve got one hell of a public relations problem in the state,” said Williams.

In a 93-page report last month, the Department of Justice, alleges prison officials are “deliberately indifferent” to unchecked deadly violence, widespread drug use, extortion, and sexual abuse.

They’re threatening to sue the state if no changes are made.

Hatchet said Governor Brian Kemp had authorized an independent report to come up with recommendations for the committee.

“Under Governor Kemp’s leadership, in conjunction with the strong support of the General Assembly, Correctional Officer starting salaries have increased from $31k to $44k - the largest ever pay increase in a six-year period in the state’s history. Budget requests for the amended and upcoming fiscal year remain under review and the governor will unveil his proposals in his finalized budget report early next year,” said Garrison Douglas, a spokesperson for Gov. Kemp.

Hatchet said they will meet again before January to review the Governor’s report.

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