FACT SHEET 
TRANSITIONAL SERVICES 
 
2020 
 
TIMOTHY C. WARD COMMISSIONER RICKY MYRICK CHIEF OF STAFF JAY SANDERS ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER INMATE SERVICES DIVISION 
 
OVERVIEW 
MISSION 
Transitional Services is a section within the Georgia Department of Corrections charged with the primary purpose to promote public safety through collaborative partnerships supporting offender placement into evidence-based interventions which reflect a seamless system of reentry assisting returning offenders to be law-abiding, productive community citizens. Transitional Services provides standardized Reentry Services Protocols that permeate all levels of affected agencies and organizations to reduce recidivism. Offender reentry planning and preparation begins when the offender is initially received by the Georgia Department of Corrections and is an on-going and dynamic endeavor that continues through the offender's release from custody and transition to the community. Reentry provides effective opportunities for offenders to achieve positive change and to be a more pro-social contributor to society. 
GOALS 
 To prepare and build individual capacity of the offender to be a productive member of his/her family and community 
 To link offenders to internal and external program services necessary for successful transition and reentry into the community 
 To increase the community and correctional capacity to address the offender's needs and identify community resources to match assessed needs 
 To enhance public safety by reducing recidivism among the formerly incarcerated population 
 To promote public safety through collaborative state agency and community partnerships that support offender transition to the community 
 To optimize the services provided with external stakeholders and service providers to impact reduction on return admissions to jails, prisons and community supervision to promote Justice Reinvestment 
IMPACT 
 Statistically, 1 in 31 adults nationwide is under some type of supervision, such as jail/prison, probation or parole 
 In Georgia, 1 in 13 citizens are under some type of supervision, making Georgia the fourth largest prison system in the country and first largest per capita 
 Though 95% of offenders return to society, within three years 26.6% will return to prison with new charges. In ten years, 66% will return. 
 
INITIATIVES 
 Atlanta DOC TC/Atlanta Watershed Partnership  Department of Driver Services Partnership  Community Coalitions  Facility-based Inmate Career Resource Centers  24/7 Dad/Mom  Repository for Secured Offender Documents at 
SOSTC  Metro Reentry Facility  Faith and Character (Prison and dormitories)  Family Reunification  Reentry Skills Building Handbook  Reentry Partnership Housing (RPH)  SSI/SSDI Outreach and Recovery (SOAR)  Vocational and Job Readiness  State Road and Toll Authority  Social Security benefit application program  US Attorney's Office, Northern District  Project Safe 
Neighborhoods  The Offender, Parolee, and Probationer State Training 
Employment Program (TOPPSTEP)  Vital Records Partnership  Veterans Administration  Veterans Dormitory 
PARTNERS & STAKEHOLDERS 
 Community Reentry Partnerships  Community Reentry Coalitions in Macon, Augusta, 
Savannah, Valdosta, Rome, Atlanta, Cobb, Dekalb, Columbus, Gwinnett and Clayton  Department of Consumer Affairs/Pardons and Paroles/ Reentry Partnership Housing  Department of Behavioral Health and Development Disabilities (DBHDD)  Department of Community Health  Department of Community Supervision  Department of Driver Services  Department of Human Resources  Department of Human Services/Office of Child Support Services  Department of Public Health/Vital Records  Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles  Georgia Justice Project  Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network (GMHCN)  National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)  US Department of Veteran's Affairs  US Social Security Administration