Governor Sonny Perdue Hosts Opening of Corrections Centers
Governor and DOC Commissioner Open Wilkes, Lamar, Appling and Turner Pre-Release Centers
ATLANTA - Governor Sonny Perdue, Department of Corrections (DOC) Commissioner James E. Donald and members of the Board of Corrections today hosted opening ceremonies for Pre-Release Centers in Wilkes, Lamar, Appling and Turner Counties.
?The prison beds we are opening today will ultimately increase the safety of Georgia?s communities,? said Governor Sonny Perdue. ?These centers will transition lower risk offenders back into the community, saving maximum security prison beds for murderers, sexual predators and those who would prey on innocent Georgia citizens. Today?s openings are also creating new jobs for Georgians across the state.?
Each of the four Pre-Release Centers opening today will employ between 45 and 50 staff members, with an estimated annual payroll of approximately $2 million per center. The 200-bed centers will aid DOC?s efforts to transfer state sentenced inmates from county jails into the prison system, thereby reducing county jail backlogs.
The Pre-Release Centers opening today are a result of Governor Perdue?s recommendation of $48 million in the 2006 and 2007 budgets. The Governor?s recommendation will allow DOC to open an additional 4,200 prison beds.
?National and state trends indicate that more than 65 percent of felons commit additional crimes and return to prison within their lifetime. This is unacceptable and we must do more to fight recidivism,? said Corrections Commissioner James E. Donald. ?We have an obligation to insure we are doing everything possible to prepare offenders for a law abiding return to our communities.?
Pre-Release Centers are a new concept in Georgia. The centers are designed to reduce inmates? risk of re-offending by addressing re-entry needs. The facilities will have strict supervision and will house lower risk offenders. Studies show offenders released through transition centers are statistically less likely to commit new crimes than those released directly from prison.
The Georgia Department of Corrections is the fifth largest prison system in the United States and is responsible for supervising more than 55,000 state prisoners and 140,000 probationers. It is the largest law enforcement agency in Georgia, employing nearly 15,000 Georgians.
The following is information on each of the four Pre-Release Centers opened today:
Appling Pre Release Center
- Appling County; Baxley, Georgia
- A unit of Wayne State Prison
- Designed to house offenders with security classifications of medium, minimum or trustee ? Not long-term, close or maximum security inmates
- Will employ 45-50 staff members, with an estimated annual payroll of just under $2 million.
Lamar Pre-Release Center
- Lamar County; Barnesville, Georgia
- A unit of the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification State Prison
- Designed to house offenders with security classifications of medium, minimum or trustee ? Not long-term, close or maximum security inmates
- Will employ 45-50 staff members, with an estimated annual payroll of just under $2 million.
Turner Pre-Release Center
- Turner County; Sycamore, Georgia
- A unit of Wilcox State Prison
- Designed to house offenders with security classifications of medium, minimum or trustee ? Not long-term, close or maximum security inmates
- Will employ 45-50 staff members, with an estimated annual payroll of just under $2 million.
Wilkes Pre-Release Center
- Wilkes County; Washington, Georgia
- A unit of the Whitworth Parole Revocation Center
- Designed to house offenders with security classifications of medium, minimum or trustee ? Not long-term, close or maximum security inmates
- Will employ 45-50 staff members, with an estimated annual payroll of just under $2 million.
Contender Boats to Open Major Manufacturing Operation in Baxley, Georgia
World-class Sport Fishing Boat Company to Invest $12.6 Million, Create 500 Jobs
ATLANTA ? Governor Sonny Perdue announced today that Contender Boats, one of the world?s top manufacturers of premium sport fishing boats, will locate a high-tech manufacturing facility in Baxley, Georgia. The company expects to invest a total of $12.8 million and create at least 424 permanent jobs over the next five years, ultimately growing its workforce to 500.
?As an avid sportsman, it is a pleasure to welcome Contender Boats to Georgia,? said Governor Sonny Perdue. ?Our dynamic business climate is ideal for the needs of cutting-edge companies like Contender, whose spirit of innovation matches our own.?
An announcement ceremony was held at 11:00 a.m. today on the site, located in West Appling County Industrial Park. In attendance were Congressman Jack Kingston, State Senator Tommie Williams, State Representative Tommy Smith, Nancy Cobb, executive director of the OneGeorgia Authority, and Deputy Commissioner of Global Commerce Chris Clark of the Georgia Department of Economic Development.
Contender, known worldwide for the high quality of its handcrafted, outboard-powered offshore fishing boats, will move the bulk of its manufacturing operations and new product development to Georgia from its Miami headquarters. The company will extensively modify an existing building on a 25-acre site in Baxley to suit its existing and future needs, creating dozens of temporary construction jobs. An adjacent 15 acres will provide space for future expansion and inventory storage.
?Georgia has great proximity to our East and Gulf Coast markets, and is the right place to build our company?s future,? said Joe Neber, CEO and founder of Contender Boats. ?We?ve been pleased on every level by the welcome we?ve had from the Southeast Georgia Regional Development Authority and from the state. Georgia?s economic development team has been very helpful to us.?
?We?re very excited Contender has chosen our tri-county area,? said Dale Atkins, chairman of the Southeast Georgia Regional Development Authority, which covers Appling, Bacon and Jeff Davis counties. ?We anticipate the company will be one of this region?s outstanding employers and corporate citizens, and we look forward to helping them grow.?
For 20 years, Contender has been the top name in the world of serious outboard powered offshore fishing machines. Headquartered in Miami, the company has an international reputation and is highly respected in the fishing community for its traditional ?hands on? boat building, using the most advanced materials and components available. Contender began with the now classic 25-foot hull design, and has added a complete line-up that now ranges from 21 to 36 feet. Information about Contender Boats and its products is available at www.contender.com.
