Choose freedom : keeping youth on the right path

WHERE CRIME LIVES

THE TOP 10 INTAKE COUNTIES OF JUVENILE OFFENDERS ARE BELOW.
1. Muscogee County 2. Richmond County 3. Cobb County (I) 4. DeKalb County (I) 5. Chatham County (I) 6. Fulton County (I) 7. Lowndes County 8. Douglas County (S) 9. Gwinnett County (I) 10. Bibb County
* Six of the top ten counties are either Independent or shared.
Legend: I - Independent Court, S - Shared Court
TOP FIVE INTAKE OFFENSES COMMITTED BY YOUNG OFFENDERS ARE BELOW.
1. Theft By Shoplifting 2. Burglary 3. Unruly 4. Simple Battery 5. Traffic Violation

Georgia Department of Corrections
300 Patrol Road P.O. Box 1529 Forsyth, Georgia 31029 For More Information, contact: The Public Affairs Office 478-992-5247 Or visit our website at dcor.state.ga.us
2/2010

Make the Right Choice
Office of The Governor Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice Children & Youth Coordinating Council
Georgia Department of Corrections

THE PROGRAM
Many youth in Georgia live in communities affected by crime. On any given day, more than 16,000 youth are under the supervision of the juvenile justice system in Georgia. Many of the teenagers entering our juvenile and prison systems today are there because they were influenced by peers or made the wrong choices that led to academic failure, truancy, and illegal activities.

THE FACTS

PRISON TOURS

The Georgia Department of Corrections launched the "Choose Freedom" prevention awareness program to target at-risk youth that may be effected by crime in their communities.
The program gives students the opportunity to speak with a current inmate and ask questions about his or her experience in prison. The students will also view clips from our National Geographic "Hard Time" series. The series follows inmates on their first day of prison, teenagers in our Boot Camp program, as well as a teenager in an adult prison.
We plan to educate Georgia's youth about the severity of Georgia's sentencing laws and about their options to live crime-free as young adults. Join us and become a voice and supporter of this program.

The "SEVEN DEADLY SINS" for those between the ages of 13-17 are: MURDER RAPE VOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER ARMED ROBBERY WITH FIREARM AGGRAVATED BATTERY AGGRAVATED SODOMY AGGRAVATED CHILD MOLESTATION

"Georgia has about 60,000 inmates and 150,000 probationers. The youth are our future and we want to provide them with the tools to make better choices so they won't have to travel the road of destruction."
- Commissioner Brian Owens, Department of Corrections
"Our mission is to hold youthful offenders accountable for their actions through the delivery of treatment services and sanctions."
-Commissioner Amy Howell, Department of Juvenile Justice

If you are between the ages 13-17, and are charged with of one of the "Seven Deadly Sins," you can be tried AS AN ADULT. If you are convicted as an adult, you will serve ALL of your time with the Department of Corrections and NOT with the Department of Juvenile Justice.

On a 1st conviction for one of the "Seven Deadly Sins," you must serve at least 10 years in prison with NO CHANCE OF PAROLE.

Youth tour a Correctional facility. Prison tours are held Monday through Thursday for groups of 10 to 25 people.